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OLD NORSE WONDER TALES 


Books by 

Annie Klingensmith 


Household Stories 
Just Stories 
Fireside Stories 
Old Norse Wonder Tales 
Stories of Norse Gods and 
Heroes 
Norse Myths 
Norse Heroes 
Norse Legends 


Published by 

A. FLANAGAN COMPANY 





OLD 

NORSE WONDER TALES 





ANNIE KLINGENSMITH 

t) 




1923 

A. FLANAGAN COMPANY 
CHICAGO 


COPYRIGHT 1923, BY A. FLANAGAN COMPANY 


PRINTED 



V 

•/ 

% * 




IN THE united; STATES OF AMERICA 

OCT 19,^3 V' ^ 

CU758712 ^ 


CONTENTS 


Balder . 5 

Fenris-Wolf, The . 10 

Loke . 13 

Thor . 18 

Thor and Hymer. 27 

Thor’s Fight with Hrimgner. 31 

Thor and Thrym. 33 

Thor and Geirrod. 36 

Apples of Idnn, The. 39 

Building of the Asgard Fort, The. 42 

Loke’s Punishment . 44 

Gerd . 47 

Song Mead, The. 50 

Geirrod. 53 

Andvare’s Golden Ring. 55 

Sigurd the Volsung. 57 

Frithiof . 66 

King Olaf . 79 

Siegfried with the Horny Skin. 87 

Stories of the Nibelungen. 91 

Saga of King Olaf, The.147 




























Siegfried seized the sword and sprang at the monster.—Page 88 









































NORSE STORIES. 


BALDER. 


The great god Odin was the father of all the 
gods. He and his children dwelt in the city of 
Asgard at the end of the rainbow. 

Odin’s palace was as high as the sky and 
roofed with pure silver. In it was a throne of 
gold. When Odin sat upon the throne he could 
see all over the world. 

Each day he sat upon the throne to see if 
everything was as it should be on the earth. 
He loved the people and the animals, and all the 
beautiful things of earth because they were the 
work of his hands. 

Odin had two ravens which were as swift as 
thought. Every day he sent the ravens to fly 
over the oceans and over the land to see if any 
harm was being done. When they came back 
they perched upon his shoulders and whispered 
in his ear all that they had seen. 

Besides this there was a watchman who never 
slept. He was called Heim dal, the white god. 



6 


BALDER. 


He stayed always at the foot of the rainbow 
which was the bridge of the gods, to see that the 
frost giants did not' come into Asgard, and 
to listen to the sounds of earth. So sharp were 
his ears that he could hear the grass and the 
wool on the sheep’s backs growing. 

One day when Odin mounted his throne he 
saw that the earth was no longer green and 
beautiful. The air was full of snowflakes and 
the ground was as hard as iron. All was dark 
and cold. 

The ravens, which had been sent out to see if 
all was well, came hurryino: back to tell Odin 
that Hoder, the blind old god of darkness, had 
taken possession of the earth. 

Heimdal, the watchman, called that he could 
no longer hear the music of the waterfalls and 
birds, and all the pleasant sounds of earth. 
Everything was mute with fear of the terrible 
god of darkness. 

Odin called the gods together, and they looked 
with pity on the great earth, which had been so 
pleasant a place. 

Thor, the strong god, offered to go with his 
hammer and fight with the god of darkness, but 
Odin knew that Hoder could hide himself away 
from Thor. 

Then Balder, the Beautiful, the Pod of lio-lit. 


BALDER. 


7 


whom all the gods loved, offered to go. So 
Odin gave him his winged horse, Sleipner, and 
he rode away across the rainbow bridge. 

As soon as the light of Balder’s shining eyes 
fell upon the poor, cold earth, it brightened and 
stirred. But the old, blind god Hoder brought 
all his forces of darkness to resist the god of 
light, and the earth lay as if dead. 

Balder struck no blows as Thor, the strong god, 
wished to do. He did not even try to resist the 
god of darkness. He only smiled upon the 
earth and called to it to awake. 

At last the blind god turned and fled before 
the light of Balder’s face. Then the streams 
leaped up and sang, and the birds came back 
and the flowers bloomed. 

Everywhere the grass and the waving grain 
sprang up beneath Balder’s footsteps, and the 
trees put out their gayest blossoms to greet him. 

The squirrels and rabbits came out of the 
places where they had hidden themselves and 
danced and frisked with joy. Never had the 
earth been so beautiful. 

But Hoder, the blind god, in his realm of dark¬ 
ness, was only waiting for an opportunity to take 
possession of the earth again. So Odin permitted 
Balder’s mother to cross the rainbow bridge to 
help her son. 


8 


BALDER. 


The goddess went through all the earth, begging 
each plant and stone and tree not to harm her 
son, who had brought them nothing but blessings. 
And every tree and shrub and tiny plant, and every 
rock and pebble, and every stream and little brook 
promised gladly. Only the mistletoe, which grows 
high up in the oak-tree and not upon the ground 
as other plants do, was forgotten. 

Loke, who was a meddlesome god, always doing 
something wrong, found out that the mistletoe 
had not given the promise, and told Hoder. 

Hoder thought that because it was so little 
and weak it could not really kill the god. So he 
shot an arrow tipped with a tiny twig of mistle¬ 
toe at Balder. 

The arrow pierced through and through the 
beautiful god, and he fell dead. Then the 
earth put off her green robe and grew silent and 
dark for a time. 

But because Balder, the Beautiful, had once 
lived on earth, Hoder could only make it cold 
half the year and dark half the day. 

And even now, if you listen, in the wdnter you 
can hear the wind moan through the trees which 
fling their great arms in grief. And on summer 
mornings very early, you will find the stones and 
the grass wet with weeping in the darkness. 

But when the sun shines the tears are turned 


BALDER. 


9 

to diamonds and the earth is glad, remembering 
Balder the Good. 

I heard a voice, that cried, 

‘ ‘ Balder the Beautiful 
Is dead, is dead! ” 

And through the misty aii* 

Passed like the mournful crv 

«/ 

Of sunward-sailing cranes. 

Balder tlie Beautiful, 

God of the summer sun, 

Fairest of all the Gods! 

Light from his forehead beamed, 

Runes were upon his tongue, 

As on the w^arrior’s sword. 

All things in earth and air 
Bound were by magic spell 
Never to do him harm; 

Even the plants and stones, 

All save the mistletoe. 

The sacred mistletoe! 

Hoder, the blind old God, 

Whose feet are shod with silence, 

Pierced through that gentle breast 
With his sharp spear by fraud 
Made of the mistletoe. 

The accursed mistletoe! 

—Longfellow. 

Used hy permission of Houghton, Mifflin <& Co. 


10 


THE FENRIS- WOLFc 


THE FENRIS-WOLF. 

Lore was a mischievous fellow. He was al¬ 
ways getting the other gods into trouble. Some¬ 
times they shut him up. But they always let 
him out, because he was so cunning that he 
could help them to do things they could not do 
for themselves. 

Once he crossed the rainbow bridge to Jotun- 
heim, the land of the giants, and brought home 
a pfiantess for his wife. 

Very strange children Loke had. One of 
them was the Fenris-wolf. He was named Fehrer. 
All the gods knew he w^as a wolf as soon as they 
saw him. 

But he went about among the children, play¬ 
ing with them like a good-natured dog, and the 
gods thought there was no harm in him. 

Fenrer grew larger and larger, and the 
gods began to look at him with distrust. They 
feared he might some day grow too strong for 
them. 

But Fenrer always looked good-natured, and 
harmed no one. He did not even show that he 


THE FENRIS-WOLF. 


II 


had great strength. So the gods could not have 
the heart to kill him. 

But they put it off too long. One day they 
found Fenrer had g-rown so strono- that it was 

O o 

almost too late to do anything with him. 

All the gods worked day and night until they 
had forged a chain they thought strong enough 
to bind the wolf. 

Knowing they could not bind Fenrer against 
his will^ all the gods came together for games. 
Thor crushed mountains with his hammer. The 
other gods showed their strength by lifting, and 
leaping, and wrestling. 

Then they brought out the chain and told 
Fenrer to let them bind him with it, so that he 
might show his strength by breaking it. 

Fenrer knew tliat he could break the chain, so 
he allowed himself to be bound. He only drew 
in a deep breath and the chain dropped into pieces. 

Then the gods forged a chain twice as strong 
as the first. Fenrer saw that this chain would be 
hard to break. But breaking the first chain had 
made him stronofer. So he allowed this one to 

O 

be put on him. 

This, too, he broke, and the gods were in de¬ 
spair. They knew they could never make a 
stronger chain, and they feared the wolf more 
than ever. 


12 


THE FENRIS-WOLF. 


Odin took liis horse, Sleipner, and went on a 
seven days’ journey to the home of the dwarfs. 
They lived deep down in the earth, and had 
charge of the gold and diamonds and all other 
precious things. They were the most cunning of 


blacksmiths. 

When Odin told the little people Avhat he 
wanted, they all cried, Never fear. Father Odin ! 
We can make a chain that will bind the wolf. 

When the chain was made it was as light and 
delicate as a spider’s 
web, hut Odin knew it 
could never be broken. 

As soon as Fenrer saw 
the chain, he was afraid 
of it. He knew if it 
were only a cobweb they 
never care to put it on him. 
would not allow himself to he bound 
unless a god’s hand was put into his 
mouth. At this the gods only looked at 
one another. After a little time, Tyr, the 
bravest of all the gods, put his hand into the 
wolf’s mouth. 

The moment the chain touched Fenrer he knew 
he could never break it, and he bit off the god’s 
hand. 

But the Fenris-wolf was bound forever. 



would 
So he 


LORE. 


13 


LORE. 

One day Loke was wandering’ about idly as he 
often did. He came near Thor’s house, which 
had five hundred and forty rooms. 

By the window sat Sif, Thor’s wife, asleep. 
Loke thought it would be a good joke to cut off 
her beautiful hair and make Thor angry. So he 
crept in softly and cut off her hair close to her 
head without wakening her. 

When Thor came home and found out what 
had been done, he knew at once who had done 
it. 

Bushing out, he overtook Loke, and threat¬ 
ened to crush him to atoms. To save his life 
Loke swore to get the elves to make hair of gold 
for Sif, that would grow like real hair. 

Loke knew he had better do as he had prom¬ 
ised, so he went deep down into the earth to Alf- 
heim. When he came near he looked through a 
crevice in the ground, and there were the elves 
at work. He could see them by the light of the 
forge fires. 

Some were running about with aprons-on and 


14 


LOKE. 


with sooty faces. Some were hammering iron, 
and others were smelting gold. Some were cut¬ 
ting out rock crystals and staining them red for 
garnets and rubies. Tlie elf women brought 
violets and the greenest grass to he found on the 
earth above. With these they stained crystals 
blue and green for sapphires and emeralds. 

Some of the elf women brouo lit children’s tears 


from the upper earth, and the gentlest elves 
changed them into pearls. 

As fast as they were finished the jewels were 
carried away by the little elf boys and hidden in 
the ground, where tliey are found to this day. 
If you wish to see wliat cunning workmen the 
elves were, look at the shining faces and straight 
edges of quartz crystals, or at the beautiful col¬ 
oring of emeralds and rubies. 

The little elf girls crept 
through the earth under the 
ocean and gave the pearls 
to the oysters to keep. 



<Even now the oysters shut 
their shells tio^ht 
and will not give 
up the pearls. 

Loke watched the 
little workmen a long time. Then he went in 
and told his errand. Nothing delighted the elves- 






































LORE. 


15 


so much as to have work to do. They promised 
Loke the golden hair, and at once began to make it. 

A little elf ran in with a handful of gold and 
an old grandmother spun it into hair. As she 
spun, she sang a magic song to give life to the 
ofold. At the same time the elf blacksmiths and 
goldsmiths set about making a present for Loke. 

The blacksmiths made a spear that would 
never miss its mark. The goldsmiths made a 



ship that would sail without wind. Besides, it 
could be folded up and put into the owner’s 

Loke appeared before the gods with these won¬ 
derful things. To Odin he gave the spear, and 
to Frey the ship. Thor took the golden hair 
and put it upon Sif’s head. Immediately it be¬ 
gan to grow. At this the gods pardoned Loke. 

When Loke went out he began to boast that 

















16 


LOKE. 


the sons of Ivald, who had made the gifts, were 
the best workmen in the world. 

Brok, an elf of another family, heard him, and 
exclaimed angrily, Sindre, my brother, is the 
best blacksmith in the whole world ! ” 

Loke dared Brok to show him three gifts of 
Sindre’s making equal to the spear, the ship, and 
the hair. 

Brok hastened to Sindre and told him. The 
two brothers began the work at once. Sindre 
put a pig-skin into the furnace and told Brok to 
blow the fire with the bellows while he went out. 
Brok worked with a will. Loke had followed 
him, and now changed himself into a fly and 
stung Brok’s ear. But Brok worked steadily, 
never stopping to brush it off. 

Sindre came back and took out the pig-skin, 
and it had become a golden pig. So bright was 
it, that it made the cave as light as day. 

Then Sindre put a little piece of gold into the 
furnace and went out again. Again, as Brok 
worked at the bellows, the fly came, and stung 
him on the nose. But the elf did not stop for 
an instant. 

When Sindre took out the gold it had become 
a magic golden ring. From it every ninth night 
dropped eight golden rings. 

This time Sindre brought a piece of iron and 


LORE. 


17 


put it into the furnace. Brok began his work. 
But Loke changed himself into a hornet and 
stung the elf on the forehead until the blood ran 
into his eyes. 

Brok bore it a long time. Then he paused a 
moment to drive away the hornet. Just then his 
brother came in and said it was of no use to go 
on after he had once stopped. 

Sindre took out the iron and it had become 
the mighty hammer Mjoiner. But the handle 
was a little too short. This was because the elf 
had stopped when the hornet stung him. 

Brok took the golden pig, the ring, and the 
hammer to Asgard and presented them to the 
gods. Thor had just lost his hammer in a great 
fight with the Midgard Serpent, so Mjolner was 
given to him 

This hammer could never be lost, because it 
would always return to the owner. 

The pig. Golden Bristle, was given to the 
sun-god, Frey, because he had to take long jour¬ 
neys in dark places. 

Odin kept the golden ring himself. 

The gods voted Sindre a better blacksmith 
than the sons of Ivald. Brok demanded Loke’s 
head, which had been wagered. The cunning 
Loke said he might have the head, but he must 
not touch the neck. So the elf did not get the head. 



Thor was the strono' p^od. So stronsf was he 

o o o 

that he could crush mountains with one blow of 
his hammer. 

His eyes slione like fire. When he drove in 
his chariot, the sound could be heard all over the 
earth. • When he struck with his terrible hammer 
fire streamed through the sky. 

On one hand he wore an iron glove to grasp 
the hammer. Around his waist was a belt 








TllOB. 


19 


Every time he tiofhtened the belt his strenofth was 

4^ • O O 

redoubled. 

If he had crossed the rainbow hridcre it would 
have fallen down. So every day he waded 
throusrh four rivers to jro to the council of the 

O O 

gods. 

Thor was usually as good-natured as he was 
strong. But sometimes he had sudden attacks of 
anger. Then he drove furiously in his char¬ 
iot, striking in every direction with his hammer. 
Sometimes he did damaire which, with all hi& 
strength, he could never repair. 

Very often Thor did kind things. Once the 
dwarf. Or vandal, did not go into his home in 
the ground when the frost giants were in the land. 
They caught him and took him to Jotunheim. 

Thor waded across the ice-cold river, Elivagar, 
to the land of the giants, and brought Orvandal 
back in a basket. When they were nearly across, 
Orvandal put one toe outside and it was bitten 
off by the frost giants. 

Thor liked nothing better than to go on long 
journeys, seeking adventures. 

Once he set out in his chariot drawn by goats. 
Loke, the cunning, went with him. 

Night came. Thor made himself no larger 
than a man, and asked to stay all night in a poor 
man’s hut by the seashore. 


20 


THOR. 


The man welcomed them. Thor killed his 
goats, and the poor man’s wife cooked them. 

When nothing was left but the bones, Thor 
told the children to put them all into the skins 
on the floor. But one of the hoys broke a bone 
to get the marroAv. 

At dawn the next day, Thor touched the bones 
with his liammer, and the goats sprang up alive. 

But one of them Avas lame. When the family 

• «/ 

saAv the bones changed into living goats, they 
Avere very much frightened. 

Thor Avas angry because the goat Avas lame 
and grasped his hammer so tightly that his 
knuckles o^reAv Avhite. At first he meant to kill 
the Avdiole family, but after he thought, he only 
took away two of the children for servants. 

They crossed the ocean that day and found a 
forest on the other side. 

When it greAv dark they Avent into a cave to 
sleep. In the cave there Avere five small rooms 
and one large one. All night they heard a 
great rumbling noise. 

Early in the morning Avhen they AA^ent out, 
they found an immense giant slee})ing on the 
ground. The noise they had heard Avas the 
giant’s breathing, and the caA^e Avas his glove. 

When Thor saAV him, he tightened his belt of 
strength and grasped his hammer. But just 


THOU. 


21 


then the giant awoke and stood up. His great 
height so amazed Thor that he forgot to strike 
and only asked the giant’s name. 

The giant replied that he was Skrymer. Then 
he asked to go along with Thor. Thor said he 
might, and they all sat upon the ground to eat 
breakfast. 

After breakfast, the giant put Thor’s provision 
sack into his owai and carried both. All that 
day he strode in front and Thor followed. 

At night they stopped. The giant drank a 
small brook dry; and at once lay down on the 
ground and fell asleep. 

Thor found that he could not untie the sack. 
At this he was very angry. 

He tiofhtened his belt and went out where the 


giant lay. He swung his hammer above his 
head and struck the giant’s forehead with all 


his strenofth. 

The giant awoke and rubbed his eyes. Then 
he said sleepily, I think a leaf must have fallen 
upon me.” With that he fell asleep again. 

Thor and the others lay down without any food, 
and the giant snored so that they could not sleep. 

Afrain Thor arose. He tio'htened his belt 
twice and struck the giant a harder blow than the 
first. The giant only stirred and muttered, 
This must be an oak-tree, for an acorn has 
fallen upon my forehead.” 


22 


THOR. 


Thor hurried away and waited until the giant 
once more slept soundly. Then he went softly, 
and struck him so hard that the hammer sank 
into his head. 

This time the giant sat up and looked around 
him. Seeing Thor, he said, I think there are 
squirrels in this tree. See, a nutshell has fallen 
and scratched my forehead.” 

But make ready to go now. We are near 
the palace of Utgard.” 

You see how large I am. In Utgard’s palace 
I am thought small. If you go there do not 
boast of your strength.” 

With that, he directed Thor to the palace, and 
went away northward. 

At noon they saw a palace so high that they 
had to bend back their heads to see the top 
of it. 

The gate was locked. So they crept in 
through the bars, and went from room to room 
until they came to the hall where sat Utgard 
with his men around him. 

For some time he pretended not to see Thor. 
Then with a loud laugh he said, Ho 1 ho ! who 
is this little creature ? ” Without waitino’ for a 
reply, he cried, Why, I believe it is Thor of 
whom we have heard.” 

Then speaking to Thor for the first time, he 


Til OIL 


said. Well, little man, what can you do? No 
one is allowed here unless he can do something.” 

Loke, who was quicker than Thor, said, I 
can eat faster than anyone here.” Then Utgard 
said, Truly that is something. We will see if 
you have spoken the truth.” 

The giants brought in a trough filled with 
meat. Utgard called Loge, one of his men, to 
contend with Loke. 

Loke and Loo’e met at the middle of the 
trough. But Loke had only eaten the meat, 
while Loge had eaten, meat, bones, and trough. 
So Loke was beaten. 

Then Utgard asked what Thjalfe, the boy Thor 
had taken from the seashore, could do. Thjalfe 
replied that he could outrun any man there. 

Utgard called a little fellow whose name was 
Huge. Huge so far outran Thjalfe that he 
turned back and met him half-way. 

Utoardsaid: You are the best runner that 

O 

ever came here, but you must run more sw iftly 
to outrun Huge.” 

Then Thor was asked in what he wished to 
contend. He answered : In drinking.” 

Utgard sent the cup-bearer to bring his great 
drinking-horn. 

When Thor took the horn in his hand, Utgard 
said: Most of the men here empty it at one 


24 


THOR. 


draught. Some empty it at two draughts. But 
no one ever takes three.” 

Thor put the horn to his lips and drank deep 
and long. When he was out of breath, he 
lowered the horn. To his surprise very little of 
the water was gone. 

Utgard said : I should have thought Thor 
could drink more at a draught.” 

Thor did not reply, but drank again as long as 
he had any breath. This time enough was gone 
so that the horn could be carried easily without 
spilling any of the water. 

Utgard said: Have you not left too much 
for the third drauorht ? ” 

Thor became angry. He put the horn to his 
lips and drank until his head swam, and his ears 
rang, and lire floated before his eyes. 

But the horn was not nearly empty, and he 
would not trv asrain. 

Then Utgard said : Will you try something 
else?” Thor replied that he would. Utgard 
said: We have a little »*ame here that the 

younger children play. The young men think 
nothing of lifting my cat. I would not propose 
it to you if you had not failed in drinking.” 

The cat ran in, and Thor did his best. But 
he could only lift one paw from the ground. 

Then he called for some one to wrestle with 


THOR. 


25 


him, but Utgard said the men would think it 
beneath them to wrestle with Thor. Then he 
called his old nurse, Elle, to wrestle with him. 

The tighter Thor gripped the old woman, the 
firmer she stood. Soon he was thrown on one 
knee, and Utgard sent the old woman away. 

The next morning at dawn, Thor and Loke 
and the two children prepared to go away. 

Ut <i*ard o’ave them breakfast and went a little 

O O 

way with them. 

When he was ready to go back, he asked Thor 
how he liked his visit. Thor replied that he had 
done himself dishonor. 

At this Utgard said: I will tell you the 
truth now that we are out of my palace. You 
shall never come into it asrain. If I had known 
your strength you should not have come this time. 

In the forest it was I you met. If I had not 
held a mountain between your hammer and my 
head, you would have killed me. There is the 
mountain. The three caves you see were made 
by the three blows of your hammer. 

One end of the drinking-horn stood in the 
sea. When you come to the shore you will see 
how much water is gone. 

What you took for a cat was the great Mid- 
gard Serpent which encircles the earth and holds 
its tail in its mouth. The nurse was old age. 
No one can resist her.’’ 


2G 


riioR. 


Hearino; this, Thor raised his hammer to 

O ^ 

strike. But Utgard and the palace vanished and 
left only a grassy plain. 


THOR. 

Here amid icebergs 
Rule I the nations; 

This is my liammer, 

Miolner the mighty; 

Giants and sorcerers 
Cannot withstand it! 

TRese are the gauntlets 
Wherewith I wield it, 

And hurl it afar off ; 

This is my girdle; 

Whenever I brace it, 

Strength is redoubled I 

The light thou beholdest 
Stream through the heavens 
In flashes of crimson. 

Is but my red beard 
Blown by the night-wind. 

Affrighting the nations! 

Jove is my brother; 

Mine eyes are the lightning; 

The wheels of my chariot 
Roll in the thunder, 

The blows of my hammer 
Ring in the earthquake! 

—Longfellow. 

Used by permission of Houghton, Mifflin tfc Co. • 


THOR AND HYMER. 


27 


THOR AND HYMER. 

Far down in the cool depths o£ the ocean 
dwelt iEger, the sea-god, in his shining palace. 

The water lapped softly against its clear green 
walls. All the herds of Ran, the sea-god’s wife, 
played about it. 

Within sat dEger on his throne, and the winds 
and v/aves, which were his children, went abroad 
to do his will. 

On a day when the ocean lay calm and quiet 
in the sunlight, the gods feasted in dEger’s 

But iEger’s great kettle was lost, and there 
Avas no meat for the guests. 

Thor shook his great hammer in anger and 
vowed to bring hack the kettle. But no one 
could tell him where to find it. 

Ty r said, Just within the borders of Jotunheim 
lives Hymer. He has a kettle a mile deep. But 
he who goes for it must be wary, for Hymer is a 
dosT-wise and danorerous o'iant.” 

Thor cried, I fear no giant 1 Show me the 
Avay and I will bring the kettle ! ” 

Sn the two gods passed out of Eger’s sea- 
green liall and away through groves of coral. 



28 


rilOR AND llYMER. 


Dolphins and sword-fish played beside their 
pathway without fear. 

Soon the gods reached the upper world. 
There they made themselves look like two young 
men. Then they traveled away to the land of 
snow. 

On the icy shore of the ocean they found 
Hymer’s house. At the door they Avere met 
by Hymer’s beautiful Avife, who AA^as Tyr’s 
mother. 

The house Avas dark and gloomy. Very glad 
AA^as Tyr’s mother to see the guests. She bade 
them Avelcome, but told them to hide under the 
kettles. 

Hymer came home late, Avith his beard shining 
with frost. The beams of the Ioaa^, dark house 
shook under his feet. 

My son is here,” said his Avife, AAdien he had 
shaken the frost from his hair. 

Where is he ? ” said Hymer. 

Behind that post,” replied his Avife. Hy¬ 
mer’s eyes blazed. He stared hard at the post. 
Instantly it fleAv into splinters. Eight of the 
kettles fell clanging to the ground. 

Out sprang the gods and faced the giant. 

When Hymer saAV his old enemy, Thor, he 
was frightened. So he bade them Avelcome, and 
ordered three oxen to be roasted Avhole for supper^ 


THOR AND llYMER. 


29 


Thor ate two himself, and Hymer thought he 
would kill no more of his fine black oxen. He 
thought he would have fish for the next meal. 

At dawn the next day Thor saw Hymer getting 
his boat out. Thor dressed quickly and asked 
to go along to do the rowing. 

Hymer said, You might take cold if you stay 
out as long as I stay, and the rowing might tire 
you.” 

Thor was angry enough to box the giant’s 
ears. But he only answered that he could row 
as far as Hymer wanted to go, and that Hymer 
would be the first to want to come back. 

Thor then asked Hymer for some bait. But 
Hymer said if he wanted to fish he must find his 
own bait. At this Thor marched up to the finest 
ox in Hymer’s herd and wrung its head off. 

Thor rowed with such strength that Hymer 
was surprised. When he wanted to stop, Thor 
said they were not out far enough yet. 

Then Hymer cried in fear, If we go any 
farther we will be in danger from the Midgard 
Serpent.” At last Thor stopped, and Hymer 
soon caught two whales. 

Thor took out a line he had brought from 
Asgard, and baited the hook with the ox’s head. 

The moment the bait dropped to the bottom 
of the ocean, the Midgard Serpent swallowed it. 


30 


TIIOR AND IIYMER. 


Then Thor tightened his belt of strengtn and 
pulled till his feet went through the boat and he 
stood on the bottom of the ocean. 

The Ser})ent’s head rose to the top of the 
water. When Hymer saw it, he turned jDale and 
trembled with frisfht. Just as Thor drew back 
his hammer to strike, Hymer cut the line, and 
the serpent sank to the bottom. 

Thor gave the giant a blow with his fist that 
nearly ended his life. 

Takino’ the two whales into the boat Thor 
rowed to shore. There he took up the Avhales 
and the boat and carried them all into the house 
at once. 

At supper the giant challenged Thor to break 
his goblet by throwing it. 

Thor threw it against the walls and upon the 
floor, but it would not break. 

Then the giant’s wife whispered, Throw it 
against Hymer’s forehead.” Thor did so, and 
the goblet was shattered. 

Then the giant said Thor might have the 
kettle if he could carry it away. 

Thor tried to lift it, but could not at first. 
As he tried he grew stronger, and, at last, he put 
the kettle over his head. But it reached down to 
his heels, and the handle tripped him. 

Thor and Tyr traveled as fast as they could 


THORS FIGHT WITH HRUNGNER. 


31 


with the kettle. After they had gone a long 
way, Tyr saw Hymer and a host of his friends 
rushing after them. 

Thor put down the kettle and killed all the giants. 

Every harvest time ^ger made a feast for 
the gods in memory of Thor’s bravery. 


THOR’S FIGHT WITH HRUNGNER. 

One day when Odin was riding abroad on 
Sleipner, he passed by Jotunheim. 

There he met Hrungner, one of the giants. 
Hrungner said, Who are you and where did 
you get that fine horse ? ” 

Odin replied, I will wager my head that 
there is not so good a horse in Jotunheim.” 

Hrungner answ^ered angrily that his horse, 
Goldmane, could take longer strides. 

Then Odin challenged Hrungner to a race. 
In a short time Goldmane was brought, and the 
race began. Sleipner was always ahead. 

Hrungner thought of nothing but of overtaking 
him. Before he knew it he had followed Odin 
into Asgard. 

The gods were feasting, and they invited the 
giant to eat with them. Thor’s drinking-horn 
was brought. Hrungner emptied it at a draught. 


32 THORNS FIGHT WITH IIRUNGNER. 

By and by he began to boast of his strength. 

I will tear down Asgard, kill the gods, and 
carry off Freyja,” he cried, crashing Thor’s 
drinking-horn down upon the table. 

But the sound made by the drinking-horn 
called Thor, who was far away. 

Soon a mutterino: as of distant thunder was 
heard. Flashes of fire streamed through the air, 
and there was Thor with his hammer in his hand. 

Why is this giant allowed to feast with the 
gods ? ” Thor demanded. He should never 
have been allowed to enter Asgard.” 

With that he made ready to strike. But 
Hrungner cried, You are a coward if you kill 
me unarmed. Come to the borders of my own 
country. There I will meet you with my shield 
and flint stone.” 

So a day was appointed, and Hrungner went 
back to Jotunheim. There he made a huge clay 
giant, nine miles high and three miles across the 
shoulders. He put a horse’s heart into the giant, 
because that was the largest heart he could find. 

On the appointed day Thor appeared in his 
chariot, fire flashing from his eyes, mountains 
tumbling down as he passed, and hurling his 
hammer before him. 

His servant, Thjalfe, the swift runner, went 
before and told Hrungner that Thor could attack 


THOR AND THRYM. 


33 


him from under the ground as well as from the 
air. So Hrungner put his shield under his feet. 

As Thor approached, so frightened was the 
clay giant that his horse’s heart fluttered within 
him, and perspiration flowed off him in streams. 

Hrungner hurled his flint stone and Thor his 
hammer at the same moment. They met in the 
air and the flint stone w^as broken into two 
pieces. 

One piece fell to the earth and became a 
mountain. The other piece struck Thor’s head 
and he fell upon the ground. 

The hammer struck Hrunorner and he fell dead 
with his foot on Thor’s neck. Thor could not 
remove the giant’s foot. All the gods tried, hut 
none of them could lift it. 

Then Thor’s son, a baby three days old, came 
and lifted the foot with one hand and said. 
Sorry am I that I did not meet the giant, for I 
think I could have killed him with my fist.” 


THOR AND THRYM. ♦ 

When Thor was away on one of his journeys 
he laid his hammer down for a moment, and went 
away without it. 

The giant Thrym found the hammer. He 


TIIOTt A^’D TIIRYM. 


34 

earned it to Jotunbeim and buried it eight miles 
deep. 

Wlien Tbor missed bis hammer be went back 
and found that it was gone. He knew that no 
one but a giant could bave lifted it. 

Back he drove to Asofard in such a raa*e that 
the gods themselves trembled. But they trem¬ 
bled still more when they heard Thor’s story. 
They feared that the giants could no longer be 
kept out of Asgard. 

Loke borrowed Freyja’s falcon plumage and 
flew to Jotunheim. The first giant he met was 
Thrym. ^^Why have you come to Jotunheim?” 
said the odant. I have come for Thor’s ham- 
mer/' replied Loke. Ho ! ho ! ho ! ” laughed 
the giant, the hammer is buried eight miles 
deep. I will give it to no one until he brings 
me Freyja for a wife.” 

Loke flew swiftly back to Asgard, and told 
Thor what the giant had said. 

Thor thought of nothing hut his precious ham¬ 
mer. He rushed to Freyja and told her to make 
ready to go to Jotunheim. 

At this Freyja was so angry that Thor, big as 
he was, trembled and went out without saying 
anything more. 

Loke said, We will dress you up like a wo¬ 

man, and what a beautiful bride you will be.” 


TllOn AND rilRYM. 


35 


So Thor had Freyja’s dress put on him, a neck¬ 
lace around his great throat, and a veil over his 
face. But even then his eyes blazed like fire. 

Loke dressed himself like a maid, and they 
went to Jotunheim in Thor’s chariot. 

When Thrym saw them coming, he had a 
great feast prepared. 

Thor ate a whole ox and ten salmon. Thrym’s 
eyes stood out with surprise. But Loke whis¬ 
pered, Freyja longed so much to come to Jotun¬ 
heim that she has eaten nothino; for seven 
days.” 

At this Thrym was so pleased that he leaned 
over to look into her face. But he started back 
when he saw the blazing eyes. 

Loke said softly, Freyja longed so much to 
come to Jotunheim that she has not slept for 
seven nights.” 

When the feast was over, Thrym brought the 
hammer and laid it in Freyja’s lap. 

The moment Thor’s fingers touched the handle 
he sprang up, tore the veil from his eyes, and 
drew back the hammer to strike. 

So angry was he that he laid the giant dead 
with one blow. 

Thor and Loke went away, leaving nothing but 
a heap of blazing sticks where the house had 
been. 


86 


TilOli AND GEIRliOD, 


THOR AND GEIRROD. 

Once Loke put on Freya’s falcon plumag’e and 
flew away to Jotunlieim. As he flew about amus¬ 
ing* himself, he came to the home of the giant 
Geirrod. 

He perched on. the roof and looked in through 
an opening. 

Geirrod saw the bird and sent a servant to 
catch him. The wall was high and slippery. 
Loke laughed to see Iioav much trouble the servant 
had to climb up. 

He thought he would fly away when the servant 

- m 

had almost reached him. But when he tried to 
fly away, his feet were fast. So he was caught 
and taken to Geirrod. 

As soon as Geirrod looked into the falcon’s eyes 
he knew he was not a bird. The giant asked Loke 
many questions, but Loke would not answer a 
word. 

Geirrod locked him in a chest for three months 
without food. 

At last Loke confessed who he was. To save his 
life, he promised to get Thor to go to Geirrod’s 
house without his hammer and belt. 


TllOJi AND GEIRROB. 


37 


Loke went at once to Thor and told him Geirroc! 
wanted to fio^ht him. 

Thor’s eyes began to flash fire, and he rustier 
to his house for his hammer and belt. But 
Loke had been there before him and hidden 
them. 

Thor was so angry that he would not wait to 
find them. Away he went in his.chariot to fight 
the giant. 

On the way he met a giantess who told him 
Geirrod was a dog-wise and dangerous giant. 

She gave Thor her gloves and staff and belt 
of strength. 

Soon Thor reached a wide river. He put on 
his belt of strength and plunged into the water. 

When he reached the middle of the river, the 
waves went over his shoulders. 

Thor looked up and saw that Geirrod’s daughter 
was makinof the waves with her hand. He threw 
a stone and drove her aAvay. 

Then he readied the bank and caiisflifc a branch 
and drew himself out of tlie water. 

When Til or reached Geirrod’s house he was 
given a room by himself. There was only one 
chair in the room. 

Thor sat in the chair. Suddenly it was lifted 
to the roof. He raised his staff and pressed 
against the roof with all his strength. 


38 


TllOlt AND GEIRROD, 


The chair fell to the floor. Two of Geirrod’s 
dauofhters had been sitting under it. 

o o 

Soon Geirrod sent a servant to invite Thor to 
come and see gcxmes. 

Great fires burned all down the hall. When 
Thor came near Geirrod, the g’iant seized a piece 
of iron and threw it at Thor. 

Thor caught it in his iron gloves and raised his 
arm to throw it at Geirrod. 

Geirrod ran behind a post. Thor hurled the 
iron. It went through the post and through 
Geirrod, and through the wall into the ground 
outside. 

Thor took the gloves and staff and belt back 
to the giantess. 

He never went anywhere without his hammer 
again. 


THE APPLES OF IDUN. 


;<9 


THE APPLES OF IDUN. 


Once Odin and Loke were traveling together. 
They came to a field where a herd o£ black-horned 
oxen were grazing. They were very hungry, so 
they killed one of the oxen. 

But they tried in vain to cook the meat. It 
stayed raw in spite of the hottest fire they could 
make. 

A huofe eaofle flew to a tree near them and 

o o 

called, I will make the fire burn if you will share 
with me.” 

The gods were very glad to do anything that 
would give them food. So they promised to 
share with the eaode. 

O 


In a short time the meat was cooked. The 
easfle flew down and laid hold of half of it. 

O 

Loke was angry and struck the eagle with a 
pole. To his surprise, the pole stuck fast, and he 
could not let it pfo. 


40 


THE APPLES OF ID UN. 


He was drag-o-ecl over rocks and bushes until 

OO 

he begged for mercy. 

Then the eaode chanofed into the renowned 
giant, Thjasse. The giant said he would not let 
Loke go until he promised to deliver Idun and 
her apples into his hands. 

Half dead with fright, Loke promised. But 
he did not know how he could keep his 
promise. 

Idun kept the apples in a strong box. Every 
day she gave some of them to the gods. 

When Loke returned he told her he had seen 
much finer apples than hers just outside of Asgard. 

Idun wished to compare her apples with those 
Loke had seen. So she took the box and went 
with him. 

As soon as they were outside Thjasse came in 
shape of an eagle. He carried Idun and her 
apples to Jotunheim. 

Soon the p^ods found tliemselves (ri’owino' old 
and gray because they had no apples to eat. 

When they inquired, they found that Loke 
was at the bottom of the mischief as usual. 

The gods threatened to kill Loke if he did not 
bring back Idun and her apples. 

Loke was frightened. He borrowed Freyja’s 
falcon plumage and flew to Jotunheim. 

Thjasse was out fishing. Loke changed Idun 


THE APPLES OF IDUN, 41 

into a nut and flew back to Asg’ard with the nut 
between his claws. 

Thj asse saw him and followed closely. The 
gods feared Loke would he overtaken. So they 
put chips on the walls of Asgard. The instant 
Loke was over they set fire to the chips. 

Thjasse could not stop in time, and his eagle 
t)lumao[-e was burned. He fell down into the 

A O 

streets of the city and was slain by the gods. 


42 


THE BUILDING OF THE ASGARD FORT. 


\ 


THE BUILDING OF THE ASGARD FORT. 

The ffods feared that the frost giants would 

O O 

invade Asgard while Thor was away fighting 
monsters. 

Often they spoke together of the danger. 
One day Loke advised them to hire a workman 
whom he knew, to build a fort strong enough to 
keep out the frost giants. 

The gods listened to him, although they knew 
he seldom srave o^ood advice. 

O O 

The workman was brought into Asgard. Very 
strange wages he demanded. He said he would 
build the fort if they would give him Freyja, or 
the sun and moon, when it was finished. 

The gods agreed to this. But they said he 
should have nothing if the fort were not finished 
by the first day of summer. 

The workman said he would do the work if he 
could have Svadilfare, his horse, to draw the stones. 

On the first day of winter he began the work, 
and worked night and day. At this the gods 
were frightened. They feared the fort would 
be finished on the first day of summer. Sure 


THE BUILDING OF THE ASGARD FORT. 4‘J 

enough, three clays before the first day of sum¬ 
mer only one pillar was unfinished. 

Seeing this, the gods threatened to kill Loke if 
he did not find a way out of the difficulty. They 
could not give Freyja. If they gave the sun and 
moon, everything would be in darkness. 

But on the last night Loke changed limself 
into a monster and ran out of the woods before 
Svadilfare. The horse was so frio^htened that 
he ran away. The workman was forced to go 
after him. So the fort was not finished. 

Seeing that he could not get his reward, the 
workman became a giant, as he really was, and 
Thor struck him dead with his hammer. 


44 


L OKE' 8 r UNESmiEN 2 . 


LORE’S PUNISHMENT. 

After the death of Balder, the gods sent 
Hermod, his brother, to the realm of the dead to 
beg the goddess of death to release him. 

Hermod rode nine davs and nine nip'hts throuo:h 
valleys so dark that he could see nothing. At 
last he came to a brido^e made of gflitterinof Sfold. 

Modgud, the maiden who kept the bridge, 
stopped him and said : What is your name ? ” 

Hermod told his name, but did not say he was a 
g-od. 

Then the maiden said: Why do you who are 
living try to cross this bridge ? You shake it 
more than a whole army of dead men.” 

Hermod replied : I come to seek Balder, the 
Beautiful, and I pray you let me pass quickly, for 
the gods wait wearily in Asgard.” When the 
maiden saw that he was a god she hindered him 
no longer. 

Hermod rode on until he came to the kinofdom 
of the dead. Spurring his horse he leaped over 
the gates without touching them. 

He rode swiftly to the palace and entered. 


LORE'S PUNISmiENT. 


45 


There he saw Balder in the highest seat and spent 
the night with him. 

Next morning he begged the goddess of death 
to release Balder, and told her of the sorrow of 
the gods and the despair of the earth. 

The goddess replied: If all created things, 
the lifeless as well as the living, will weep for 
Balder, I will release him. But if anything 
refuse to weep, he shall not return to Asgard.” 

Hermod rode back to the gods, who sent 
messengers throughout all the world to beg every¬ 
thing to Aveep for Balder. All things, men, 
animals, plants and even stones wept willingly, 
and the messengers returned gdadly because they 
thought Balder would be released. 

But on the way to Asgard, they found a 
giantess who said : Balder never brought me 

gladness. I Avill not weep. Let Death keep him.’’ 

So because there Avas one thing that Avould not 
weep. Balder remained in the realm of death, and 
the gods Avere forever grieved. 

Now this giantess Avas Loke, but the gods did 
not know it until long afterwards. When .they 
found it out they determined to punish him. 

Loke fled to the mountains. There he built a 
square house with four doors, so he could see in 
every direction. Often he changed himself into 
a salmon and hid in a stream near by. But Odin 


46 


LOKirS PUNISHMENT. 


sat upon his throne and saw Loke’s hidings 
place. 

One day Loke wove a net like the one he had 
once borrowed from Ran, the sea-god’s wife. Just 
as it was finished he looked out and saw the god& 
coming. He threw the net into the fire and 
plunged into the stream. 

But the gods saw the shape of the net in the 
ashes and wove one like it. When it was finished 
they held it by the ends and dragged it through 
the w^ater. 

Then Loke hid between two stones and the 
net passed over him. The gods felt that some¬ 
thing living had touched the net, and the next 
time they weighted it so heavily that Loke could 
not slip under it. 

This time he leaped over the net. The gods 
tried again and Thor waded in the middle of 
the stream. As Loke tried to leap over, Thor 
caught him. He was so slippery that he almost 
slid through Thor’s hands. But Thor grasped 
his tail tightly and he could not escape. 

Then Loke was bound so that he could never 
loose himself, but his wife was allowed to bring 
him food and water. So he was punished for his 
manv evil deeds. 


GERD. ■ 


47 


GEKD. 

No god was allowed to sit on Odin’s throne 
but Odin himself. 

One day when Frey was alone in the palace, 
he sat upon the throne and looked over into 
Jotunheim. 

There he saw a maiden come out of a low, 
dark house. As she walked down the pathway, 
the air became clearer and warmer. The earth 
brightened and grew green. When she went in¬ 
side and shut the door, the light faded, and the 
earth grew black again. 

Around the low, dark house was a wavering 
wall of fire, and within the wall fierce dogs kept 
watch, night and day. 

When the door was shut and Frey could no 
longer see the maiden, he went away sadly. He 
could neither eat nor sleep for longing to see 
her. 

So sad was he that no one dared ask him his 
trouble. Skade, his mother, sent Skirner, his 
faithful friend, to find out what ailed him. 

Frey told Skirner of the beautiful maiden, and 


48 


GERD. 


that he could never be happy unless she came to 
Asgard. 

Then Skirner said if he could have Frey’s 
horse and sword, he would ride through the 
flame wall, kill the watch-dogs and bring Gerd to 
Asgard. 

Frey gave his horse gladly. Skirner rode 
through the fire, although it roared in his ears 
and blazed far above his head. 

When the dogs saw him, they set up a fierce 
howling. But Skirner quieted them with Frey’s 
sword. 

Gerd heard the noise outside and sent a serv¬ 
ant to see what it was. The servant said an 
armed warrior stood at the door. 

But Gerd knew he must be a god, or he could 
not have passed the flame wall. So she bade the 
servant bring him in and give him food and drink. 

As soon as Skirner saw Gerd, he took from 
his pocket eleven of the golden apples of the 
gods and offered them to her as a present from 
Frey. 

But Gerd would not have the apples. Then 
Skirner offered her the wonderful golden rino* 

O t5 

made by Sindre. This, also, she refused. 

Then Skirner took out a magic wand and waved 
it over the maiden. As he waved the wand, he 
sang a magic song, telling of the warmth an^ 


GERI). 


49 


light of Asgarcl and the beauty and gentleness of 
Frey. 

As the maiden listened she became enchanted 
with the glory of the city of the gods, and no 
longer remembered her own cheerless land. 

Then Skirner took her behind him on Frey’s 
horse, and rode back across the rainbow bridge. 

Frey stood by the gate watching. When he 
found that Skirner had not only brought Gerd^ 
but that he had made her forget her home and 
love Asgard, he was so pleased that he let Skirner 
keep his sword. 


50 


THE SONG MEAD, 


THE SONG MEAD. 

Once tliere lived on earth a poet who sang 
song's so beautiful that all created thing's were 

o o 

eharmed by them. 

Two hill trolls, who hated the poet because he 
was noble and good, invited him to their home 
under ofround and there killed him. 

They cauglit his blood in two cups and mixed 
it with honey and made mead. If any man 
drank the mead it would make him. a poet too. 
But the trolls hid it in a dark place and would 
o’ive it to no one. 

One day the trolls enticed a s^iant into a boat 
with them, and drowned him. When his wife 
came to inquire about him they sent her down to 
the sea-shore. Then they threw a rock from the 
cliff and killed her. 

Suttung, the son of the giant, came to see what 
had become of his father and mother. He 
threatened to kill the trolls. 

To save their lives, they gave him the precious 
song mead. Suttung took it home and put it in- 


THE SOEG MEAD. 


51 


to his cellar. His daughter, Gunlad, guarded it 
night and day. ' 

Odin Avished to drink the mead. So he made 
a journey to Jotunheim. 

There he saw nine thralls mowinor in a field. 
He offered to whet their scythes. When they 
found what a keen edge the scythes had, they 
Avanted to buy the Avhetstone. 

Odin threAV it up and said that Avhoever caught 
ii might keep it. In trying to catch the Avhet- 
sione, the nine thralls killed one another Avith 
their scythes. 

%j 

Then Odin Avent to the master of the thralls 
and asked for AA^ork. The ofiant hired Odin he^ 
cause he aa^is so much in need of AA^orkmen. 

This giant, Avhose name Avas Bauge, Avas Sut- 
tung’s brother. Odin said he AA^ould Avork all 
summer for one drauofht of the soim mead. 

Bauo'e told Odin to besi’in the Avork and he 
Avould see about the mead. When he found 
that Bolverk, as Odin called himself, could do 
the Avork of the nine thralls, he Avished to keep 
him. But Suttung would not give one drop of 
the mead. 

One day Avhen he Avas away, Bauge and Odin 
Avent to his house. They took Avith them an 
auger that Odin had brought from Asgard. 

Odin bade Bauge bore a hole through the Avail 


52 


THE SONG MEAD. 


of the cellar. Bauge pretended to have bored 
through. But when Odin blew into the hole, 
the chips flew into his face. 

Bauge bored again. This time the chips flew 
the other way. Then Odin changed himself into 
a worm and crept through. Before Gunlad knew 
he was there, he had drunk every drop of the 
mead. 

After drinking the mead, Odin, with all his 
power could not remain a worm. He changed 
at once to a beautiful bird, and flew away. 
When he reached As«rard, he san<y such sono-s as 
the gods had never heard. 


GEIRROU. 


53 


GEIRROD. 

Once two children, the sons of a giant, strayed 
into Asgard. They were too young to know the 
way back to their home. 

Odin and Frigg, his wife, adopted the two 
boys and called them their sons. Odin cared 
most for Geirrod. But Frigg loved Aganor, the 
younger one, best. 

-When they were grown, Odin gave each of 
them a kingdom in his own realm. But Aganor 
left his kinofdom and went back to Jotunheim. 

Odin was pleased more than ever with Geirrod 
because he did not follow his brother. 

But Frigg heard it said that Geirrod only ap¬ 
peared to be good, and that he tortured strangers 
to make them give up their gold. 

When Odin heard this, he determined to go to 
see Geirrod and prove that it was not true. So 
he made himself look like a very old man, and 
went to Geirrod’s house. 

Instead of giving him a seat at the table and a 
bed, Geirrod chained him between two fires. 


54 


GEIRROD. 


For eight days the old man was silent, al¬ 
though no food was given him. He had not 
even any water, but once when Aganor, Geirrod’s 
son, ran in and gave him a little cupful. 

At last the fire became so hot that it burned 
the old man’s clothing. 

Then suddenly he began to sing a wonderful 
song in a deep and musical voice. Geirrod knew 
at once that it was Odin. 

Ill his despair, he slew himself with his sword. 
The little Aganor, who had pitied the stranger, 
became kifig in his place. 


ANDVARE'S GOLDEN RING. 


55 


ANDVARE’S GOLDEN RING, 

Once Odin and Loke set out to explore the 
whole world. 

As they traveled they came to a stream by 
which sat an otter eatino' a fish. Loke threw a 

O 

stone and killed the otter. 

Taking the otter and the fish, they went on 
until they came to a farmhouse. There they 
asked to stay until morning. They showed the 
fish and the otter and said they would need no 
other food. 

The farmer saw that Loke had killed his 
son, who often changed himself into an otter when 
he wanted to fish. He said nothing about it, but 
went out and told his two sons. Regin and Fafner. 

When the skin had been taken off the otter, 
the two sons came in. They and their father 
overcame the gods and bound them. 

Odin offered to pay a ransom. The farmer 
demanded enough gold to fill the otter skin and 
cover it. 

So Odin sent Loke to the dwarf, Andvare, who 


56 ANDVAEE'S GOLDEN RING. 

was the richest o£ all dwarfs. He was also the 
wariest of all dwarfs. He changed himself into 
a fish and hid in the water. 

But Loke borrowed a net from Ran, the sea^ 
god’s wife, and caught him. 

When Andvare found that he could not escape, 
he gave up all his gold hut one little ring. This 
he tried to hide under his arm. Loke took it 
away from him. The dwarf begged to have it 
given back. He said if he had the ring, he could 
make more gold; but, without it, he could do 
nothing. 

When Loke would not let him have the ring, 
he cursed the gold, and said it would always bring 
trouble to its owner. 

Loke carried the gold to Odin. .Odin filled the 
otter skin and covered it, hut kept the ring. 
When the farmer looked he found one hair that 
was not covered. Odin put the ring upon the 
hair and the farmer unbound him. 

As soon as the gods were gone, the sons 
demanded some of the gold. The father refused 
to divide it, and Fafner killed him with a SAvord 
while he slept. 

Then Regin demanded half the gold. But 
Fafner ran away Avith the Avhole hoard. 


82GUED THE VOL SUNG, 


57 


SIGURD THE YOLSUNG. 

One Yule-tide, King Yolsung' entertained Ids 
friends and vassals. All down the sfreat hall 
burned roarinor- fires. 

O 

King Yolsung sat in the high-seat with his 
guests on either hand. In the middle of the hall 
grew a large tree, the foliage of which covered 
the roof. This was called Odin’s tree. 

As the ale horns passed around, and the hall re¬ 
sounded with the laughter of the warriors, a tall 
old man strode in with a sword in his hand. 

With one blow he drove the sword into the 
roof-tree up to the hilt. Then he exclaimed, He 
who draws out this sword shall have it as a gift 
from me, and he will find that he has never 
wielded a better sword.” 

With that he strode out, and no man dared ask 
his name or whither he went. But the guests 
whispered that it was Odin himself. 

All tried to draw out the sword, but it was 
immovable. 


SlGUJi/)- 























SIGUIW THE VOLSZjNG. 


50 


When Sigmund, King Yolsung’s son, touched 
the sword it was so loose that he drew it out with 
no effort. 

After many years Sigmund was slain in battle 
and the sword was broken. But the pieces were 
kept by Sigmund’s son, who was called Sigurd 
the Volsuno;. 



Sigurd’s Sliieid 


Sigurd was the bravest and strongest man in 
the world. 

His eves were so keen that few men dared gaze 

•/ 

at him. His hair was golden and hung down 
over his shoulders, which were as broad as two 
men’s shoulders. 

His shield was of burnished gold with a dragon 




















60 


SIGUBD rilE VOL SUNG. 


upon it. All his armor was of gold, and every 
piece had upon it a dragon like 
the dragon upon the shield. 

When Fafner went away with 
the gold that had been given by 
Odin for the death of the otter, 
he changed himself into a great 
dragon and lay on Gnita Heath 
o^uarding* the treasure. 

O O 

Resfio knew that he was not 
strong enough to kill the dragon, 
so he made a long journey to the 
land of a wise king to ask his ad¬ 
vice. The wise king sent him to 
Sigurd the Volsung. 

E-eofin told the Volsunof of the- 

o o 



hoard, and Sigurd vowed to kill 
the dragon. 

From Odin he received the 
good horse Gran, and only needed 
a sword sharp and strong enough 
to pierce the dragon’s horny skin. 

Regin made a sword, but when 
Sigurd struck it upon the anvil it 
broke. Regin made another sword 
and this also Sigurd broke. 


Of the pieces of the old sword sword 

which Odin had given to his father. Sio:urd bade 






SIGURD THE VOLSUNG. 


61 


Reg'iii make a new sword. When the sword was 
finished Sigurd cleft the anvil from top to bottom 
with it. 

Then he went to a river and held the sword in 
the water. A piece of wool floated against it and 
was cut in twain. 

Sigurd mounted Gran, and taking the wonder¬ 
ful sword, rode to Gnita Heath where lay the 
draj^on. 

o 

When Fafner heard him coming, he tried to 
creep away into the water, hut Sigurd lay in a 
hollow in the ground and pierced him with the 
sword as he passed over 

Then Regin came and refused to share the 
gold with Sigurd as he had promised. When 
Sigurd demanded his share, Regin spoke smoothly, 
but in his heart he meant to kill him. 

Regin bade the Yolsung roast the dragon’s 
heart for him. While Sigurd was roasting the 
heart he burned his fingers. Putting them into 
his mouth, some of the dragon’s blood touched 
his tongue. At once he understood the songs of 
birds. Regin means to kill you,” sang the birds 
in the tree-tops. Cut off his head and eat the 
dragon’s heart yourself.’* 

Then Sigurd killed Regin and ate the heart. 
Immediately he heard two eagles overhead talking 
together. 


62 


SIGURD THE VOL SUNG. 


They spoke of a castle on a mountain-top sui> 
rounded by blazing flames. 

Within the castle slept a maiden Avhom Odin 
had pricked with the magic sleep thorn. No 
horse but Gran/’ they said, will go through 
the fire wall, and no man but Sigurd is allowed 
to wake the maiden.” 

Siofurd followed the dragon’s track until he 
came to its den. There he found the treasure in 
two chests. He put the chests on Gran’s back, 
but Gran would not move until Smurd mounted 
him. 

Sigurd rode until he came to a mountain. At 
the top was a flickering light as of fire, and the 
flames shone upon the sky. 

As Sigurd rode through the flame wall he saw 
a castle. He went into the castle and there lay 
an armed knight asleep. When he took off the 
helmet he saw that the knight was a woman. 
Then, with his wonderful sword, he cut off the 
maiden’s armor. 

She awoke and said, Who is this who dares 
to wake me from the magic sleep ? ” 

Sigurd told his name, and the maiden said she 
was Brynhilda. Sigurd stayed three days. When 
he left he gave Brynhilda Andvare’s golden ring, 
not knowing there was a curse upon it. 

Then he traveled southward with the treasure^ 


SIGURD THE VOL SUNG. 


63 


to the realm of a king called Guike. This king 
had a beautiful daughter whose name was Gud- 
run. 

When the queen saw Sigurd she was pleased 
with his beauty and strength, and wished him to 
marry Gudrun. 

One night, when the warriors were feasting, she 
gave him a cup of magic drink which made him 
forget Brynhilda. Soon he married Gudrun and 
no lonofer remembered that he had ever seen 
Brynhilda. 

After a time, Gunnar, the king’s son, heard of 
Brynhilda and wished her for his wife. Bryn¬ 
hilda had sworn to wed the man who would ride 
through the wavering fire around her castle. 

She swore this vow, because she was sure no 
horse but Gran would go through the fire, and 
that Gran would not move unless Sigurd rode 
him. 

Gunnar tried to ride through the fire, but his 
horse shrank back. Then he mounted Gran, but 
Gran would not move a step. Then the queen 
gave Sigurd a magic drink which made him look 
like Gunnar. 

Sigurd mounted Gran, and the good horse 
plunged into the fire. The flames blazed up 
to the sky. But as Sigurd rode on the flicker- 
ing fire wall sank and soon he came to Brynhilda, 


“64 


SIGURD THE VOLSUNG. 


Brynhilda was sad because it was Giinnar and not 
>Si<rurd. 

After three days Sigurd took Andvare’s golden 
ring and went back, and the queen changed him 
into his own likeness again. 

Then Brynhilda became Gunnar’s wife, be¬ 
cause she had sworn to wed the man who would 
ride throiiodi the fire. 

One day, Gudrun told Brynhilda that it was 
Sigurd who had ridden through the flames and 
not Gunnar. Brynhilda reproached Gunnar un¬ 
til he threatened to have her chained. 

Then she opened the door of her bower wide 
and wept and wailed until Gudrun begged Sigurd 
to give her gold to quiet her. 

When Sigurd went into the bower, Brynhilda 
lay upon a couch, and he remembered that it was 
he who had awakened her from her magic sleep. 

When Sigurd remembered Brynhilda he wished 
to take her and go away to her castle. But 
Gunnar had him killed while he slept. When 
Brynhilda saw that Sigurd was dead, she killed 
herself with the same sword. 

Gudrun mourned many years for Sigurd. At 
last her two brothers gave her a cup of magic 
drink and she forgot him, and became the wife of 
King Atli, the brother of Brynhilda. 

Atli was angry because of Brynhilda’s death. 


SIGURD THE VOL SUNG. 


65 


Besides^ he wanted the g’old which Gunnar had 
taken when Sigurd was killed. So he sent Gunnar 
an invitation to come to visit Giidrun. 

Gudrun, knowing that Atli meant to kill her 
brother, sent him word not to come. But he 
never received the message. 

When Gunnar came into Atli’s palace, he saw 
many armed men. Atli said, Give me the gold¬ 
en hoard which by right belongs to Gudrun.’’ 
Gunnar refused, and Atli’s knights sprang upon 
him and his men. 

At last only Gunnar and his brother were left 
alive. The brother was tortured to death, but he 
would not tell where the hoard was kept. 

Then Gunnar’s hands were tied and he was 
cast into a den of serpents. Gudrun brought him 
a harp, and he played upon it so sweetly with his 
toes that all the serpents but one were charmed 
to sleep. This one, a great adder, crept upon 
him and stung him to death. 

Gunnar had hidden the hoard in the Khine and 
no man could find it. In revenge for the death 
of her kindred, Gudrun killed Atli and his two 
sons and burned the castle. 

Thus Andvare’s words came true, and the gold 
brought only trouble to its possessor. 


FRITHIOF. 


In the Northland, among the mountains, lived 
Hilding, a vassal of King Bele. With him lived 
Ingeborg, the daughter of the king, and Frithiof, 
the son of Thorsten Vikingsson. Thorsten Vi- 
kingsson was King Bele’s best friend and bravest 
warrior. 

The people of the Northland had many ene¬ 
mies, who came in ships. They burned the 
houses and the harvests, slew the men, and car¬ 
ried the women and children away captive. 

King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson were al¬ 
ways fighting battles with them on the land or 
driving them across the sea to their own country. 
So Frithiof and Ingeborg were sent away into 
the mountains to live with old Hilding, where 
they would be safe. 

All day long the two children Avandered through 
the forest. Frithiof held the little Inofebor2!‘’s 
hand and led her alono^ the rousfh oaths. 

As they sat on the ground close beside the tiny 
brook, they heard the soft, sweet notes of the 


FBITIIIOF. 


67 


water-nixies’ wonderful music. In the waterfalls^ 
the stromkarls sang; and sometimes^ under 
ground, they could hear the hill-trolls praying 
Odin to give them souls. 

Sometimes they found beautiful grassy places 
where grew the fair white flower, called Balder’s 
brow in memory of the gentle god. 

So the days passed quickly. Frithiof grew 
straight and strong and tall in the mountain air. 
No maiden was so fair as Ingeborg. Even Sif’s 
masfic ofolden hair was not more beautiful than 
Ingeborg’s as it fell over her rosy cheeks and 
soft white neck. So brave and strong was Frithiof 
that he slew a hear and laid the great beast at 
Ingeborg’s feet. 

On winter evenings they sat by the fire and 
heard the little elves of the hearthstone, who 
teach the wind how to sing in the chimney. 

While Ingeborg embroidered with gold and 
silver thread, Frithiof read noble sagas of the 
gods and their chosen heroes. 

But King Bele and Thorsten Vikingsson grew 
old and feared to die of old age and not enter 
Yalhalla. So Frithiof and the king’s two sons, 
Helge and Half den, were called to the house of 
the king. 

There stood the two silver-haired heroes. King 


68 


FRITHIOF. 



Bele and Tliorsten Yikingsson, 
leaning upon their swords. 
Many words of wisdom they 
spoke to the young men who 
were to take their places. 

On a day when the sea 
shone in the sunlight, and the 
white-capped mountains glit¬ 
tered like gold, King Bele 
and Thorsten Vikinofsson 
stood ujion the deck of 
their dragon-ship and slew 
I themselves with their 
swords, that they might 
enter Valhalla and 
feast with the gods. 

Then Frithiof and 
the king’s two sons 
buried the drao^on- 






























































FBITHIOF. 


69 


ship close by the waves as the dead heroes had 
commanded. 

Helo^’e and Half den became kinoes of the North- 

O o 

land and Frithiof went to his father’s house. 
There he found many treasures. 

One was a sword with a hilt of beaten gold. 
On the blade were magic runes. In time of 
peace the runes were dull, but in battle they 
glowed like fire. No man might meet this sword 
in fight and live. 

Another treasure was a golden arm-ring. The 
ring had once been stolen by a pirate. He car¬ 
ried it away to his own country. There, when 
he grew old, he had himself and his comrades 
buried alive with his dragon-ship in a great tomb. 
Kino* Bele and Thorsten Yikinof-sson followed 

o o 

him and looked into the tomb. There they saw 
the dragon-ship with the sails set for sailing and 
the spirit of the dead pirate on the deck. Thor¬ 
sten Yikincrsson entered and fouo^ht with the 

o o 

spirit and took away the arm-ring. 

The greatest treasure of all was the dragon- 
ship Ellida. The prow was a dragon’s head 
with golden jaws, and the stern a dragon’s tail 
with silver scales. The dragon’s wings were the 
sails. 

The ship could sail so fast that the swiftest 
bird was left behind. 


70 


FRITUIOF. 


A long time before one of Frithiof’s ancestors 
had befriended a sea-god. As he came in to 
shore, he saw the wreck of a ship. On it sat an 
old man with sea-green hair and foam-white beard. 
The viking took the old man home; but at bed¬ 
time, he set sail on the wreck, saying he had a 
hundred miles to sail that nisrlit. 



ELLIDA. 

Before he went he told the vikinof* to look on 
the sea-shore next morning for a gift of thanks. 

At dawn next day the viking stood upon the 
shore and looked seaward. There he beheld 
Ellida sailing straight toward land with not a 
man on board. 

These three treasures had belonged to Frith- 



























FRITHIOF. 


71 


iof’s family longer than any man could remem¬ 
ber, and they were famous throughout the land. 

Frithiof made a banquet for Helge and Half- 
den and Ingeborg. As he sat at the table beside 
Ingeborg, they spoke together of the time when 
they were children. Almost they forgot that 
Frithiof was a man a full head taller than King 
Helge, and that Ingeborg was no longer a little 
maiden. 

When the feast was over and Ingeborg went, 
she seemed to take the sunshine with her. Then 
Frithiof longed so much for his old playmate, 
that he went to King Helge and asked to have 
her for his wife. 

But King Helge forgot the wish of his father. 
He answered Frithiof in scorn, and said his sister 
would he given to no man hut a king. 

Frithiof replied not a word. But he drew his 
magic sword with the flaming runes upon the 
blade. With one blow he cleft in twain King 
Helge’s golden shield where it hung upon a tree. 
Tlien he turned and went to his own house. 

After a time King Ring, the ruler of a country 
across the sea, sent messengers to ask for Inge¬ 
borg. The messengers brought gifts of gold. 
With them came many scalds with golden 
harps. 

But Helge and Halfden refused to send Inge- 


72 


FBITHIOF. 


borg. Halfden sent a scornfui message telling 
Kinof Rinof to come himself and ask. 

When King Ring heard the message he smote 
with his sword on his shield as it hung on a tree 
before the door. All his vassals w^ere called to¬ 
gether, and they set out in their dragon-ships to 
make war on Helge and Halfden. 

The two kings sent old Hilding to ask Frithiof 
to help them against King Ring. But Frithiof 
replied that they had dishonored him, and that he 
would not be their friend. 

Ingeborg was sent to live in Balder’s temple, so 
that she might be safe. There Frithiof found 
her and begged her to go away with him, saying 
that he would defend her with his sword until he 
fell dead in battle. But Ingeborg ..would not go. 
Then Frithiof went to King Helge and offered to 
be his friend, if he would allow Ingeborg to be 
his wife. A thousand warriors who heard him 
beat applause upon their shields with their 
swords. 

But Helge would not listen. He said that if 
Frithiof wished to be his vassal he must go away 
to a distant land and collect tribute from Jarl 
Argantyr, who had refused to pay. 

Frithiof hurried to Balder’s temple and again 
begged Ingeborg to go away with him. The 
dragon-ship Ellida waited with her red sails set, 





FlilTIIIOF. 


73 


But Ingeborg would not go. She told Fritliiof 
to be patient and go away and collect the tribute, 
as was his duty. 

Then Fritliiof o^ave her the golden arm-rinoT 

O O O 

left him by his father and went away alone in 
Ellida. 

But King Helge stood upon the shore and 
prayed the storm fiends to send a tempest. Soon 
the wind began to blow, and Ellida leaped from 
wave to wave like a living thing. 

Fritliiof climbed upon a mast and looked out 
across the water. There he saw the storm fiends. 
One rode upon a whale and was like a white bear. 
The other was like an eagle. 

Fritliiof called to Ellida, and she turned and 
smote the whale so that it died, and the white 
bear was drowned. With his magic sword, 
Fritliiof slew the ea«rle and the storm was 

O 

ended. 

Soon they came in sight of the island where 
Jarl Argantyr lived. His house stood upon 
the shore. A watchman paced up and down 
the sands. Jarl Argantyr and his vassals feasted 
within. 

When the watchman called that a ship was 
landing, Jarl Argantyr looked out. He knew 
Ellida at once and saw that Fritliiof stood upon 
the deck. 


74 


FBITHIOF. 


Atle, one of his vassals, seized his sword and 
shield and rushed down to the sea-shore. There 
he and Frithiof fought upon the sand. At the 
first blow both the shields were cleft from top to 
bottom, and Atle’s sword Avas broken. 

Frithiof threAV down his sword and the tAvo 
warriors Avrestled toofether. Soon Atle Avas over- 

O 

come and lay upon the sand Avith Frithiof’s knee 
upon his breast. 

Then Frithiof said, If I had my sword, you 
should feel its sharp edge and die.” Atle replied 
that he Avould lie still Avhile Frithiof Avent for his 
sword. 

When Frithiof returned, he found Atle lying 
upon the ground aAvaiting death. But he thought 
it a shame to kill so brave a man.. So he gave 
Atle his hand, and theyAvent into Jarl Argantyr’s 
house together. 

Jarl Argantyr sat in a silver chair high above 
the others. His robe was of purple trimmed with 
ermine. His golden armor hung on the wall 
behind him. 

On the table before him stood a deer roasted 
whole. The deer’s hoofs Avere gilded and raised 
as if to leap. Before the Jarl stood scalds and 
harpers, who sang of the deeds of heroes. 

Jarl Argantyr welcomed Frithiof and asked his 
errand. When Frithiof told why he had come 


FRITHIOK 


75 


the Jarl said he was not King* Helge’s vassal, and 
he would not pay the tribute unless King Helge 
collected it with his sword. 

Frithiof stayed until spring. Then Jarl Argan- 
tyr gave him a purse of gold and he returned to 
his home. There he found his house and his 
forest burned. 

As he stood among the ruins, his falcon came 
and perched upon his shoulder. His dog leaped 
up to lick his hand, and his snow-white war-horse 
came and touched his cheek gently with its soft 
lips. 

Soon old Hilding came and told him that King 
Ring had overcome King Helge and wasted the 
land. / 

To save his kingdom. King Helge had given 
Ingeborg to King Ring. At the wedding King 
Helge took Frithiof’s arm-ring from his sister and 
put it upon the statue of Balder. 

Frithiof hurried to the temple. There he saw 
the priests with the king among them. In a 
moment he stood before Helge and dashed the 
purse of gold into his face. The king fell to the 
floor. Frithiof tore the arm-ring from the statue. 

The statue fell into the fire on the altar, and in 
a moment the temple was burning. 

Frithiof sailed away in Ellida once more. 
Helge followed him with ten ships. But the 


76 


FRITHIOF. 


ships sank. FritliioFs friend had bored them full 
of holes. 

Kins’ Hels’o swam to the shore. He seized his 
bow to shoot an arrow at Frithiof, who stood upon 
the deck and laughed. Helge drew the bow 
with such strength that it snapped, and Frithiof 
sailed aAvay. 

For three years he sailed the seas. Then he 
lonofed to live on land once more. As he sailed 
northward, he came in sight of King Ring’s 
country. 

It was just at Yuletide. King Ring sat in 
his hall feasting with his vassals. An old man 
wrapped in a bearskin entered softly and took a 
seat near the door. 

The guests whispered together and looked at 
the old man with a smile. At that he seized 
one of them and shook him until all were 
silent. 

King Ring demanded his name. Then the 
stranger sprang from his seat and threw off the 
bearskin. And there stood Frithiof dressed in 
velvet as blue as the sky, and with a silver belt 
around his waist. His long golden hair fell in 
waves over his broad shoulders. 

Then King Ring swore by the hammer of Thor 
to overcome Frithiof in fight. But Frithiof only 
laughed and threw his sword upon the table with 


FRITHIOF. 


i 


77 

a clang. Every warrior at the board sprang up 
and swore to protect the noble FrithioFs life. 

King Ring could not help himself, so he invited 
Frithiof to stay and feast with them. 

Ingeboi’g brought him food with her own • 
hands, and all night long they sang and feasted. 
So Frithiof stayed, and King Ring grew to love 
him as a son. 

Soon King Ring was slain, and his little son 
became kiim of the land. All the vassals beofofed 

O oo 

Frithiof to stay and rule the kingdom until the 
boy grew older. 

But Frithiof went northward to his own land 
to make atonement for the burning of Raider’s 

As he came near the place, he saw a phantom 
temple like the temple that had been burned. 
At the door stood Skuld pointing to a shadowy 
temple far more beautiful than the old one. 

Frithiof knew that the gods meant him to 
build another temple. This he did. The new 
temple was so beautiful that it was like the halls 
of Valhalla. When it was finished, Frithiof 
entered and heard the songs of the white-robed 
valas, and his heart grew soft. 

Then an old priest told him that the gods 
loved such gifts as he had given, but they loved 
better a forgiving spirit. And Frithiof heard 



78 


FRITHIOR 


with reverence the wise words of the aged man^ 
and forgave King Helge, who was now dead. 
Then he went to Halfden and offered his hand 
in friendship, and the young king welcomed him 
as a brother. 

As they spoke together, Ingeborg entered. 
Frithiof asked once more to have her for his wife, 
and King Halfden gave her gladly. 

Frithiof built another house, where his old one 
had stood, and Ingeborg came into it bringing 
the sunshine with her. Then Frithiof was as 
happy with his old playmate as he had been in 
the days when he took the little maiden by the 
hand and led her over the rough places. 


KING OLAF, 


79 


KING OLAF. 

A GREAT army of men came into the Northland. 
They overcame all the warriors of that land* 
killed the king, and took possession of the king¬ 
dom. 

The queen fled away through the mountains 
with her little son, to the home of one of her old 
vassals. 

But soon the soldiers came to find and kill the 
little prince. Again the queen fled, but her 
enemies always found her. 

At last she was afraid to stay in any part of 
her own country. So she sailed away to another 
land. 

On the way the ship was attacked by pirates. 
The little prince was taken and sold as a slave. 

One day the king of the country in which he 
was a slave saw him and bought him. He was 
given to the queen for a page. 

The little Olaf was brave and handsome. The 
king had no son, so he made the little slave his son. 

Olaf was tauofht to be courteous and truthful. 
He was trained to fight with sword and spear. 



A (jreat army of men came into the Northland, 
















































KING OLAF. 


81 


He could hunt, and skate, and swim, and walk 
on snow-shoes. 

When he was at sea, he could run outside the 
ship on the oars. He could stand on the ship 
rail when the sea was the roimhest. 

O 

He could use his sword with either hand and 
throw two spears at once. 

When he was grown to be a man, the king 
gave him ships and an army so that he might go 
and get back his kingdom. 

At that same time another kinof was poinsf with 

O O O 

a great army to conquer Olaf’s kingdom. 

Olaf went into the church to pray for a bless¬ 
ing on his journey. While he was praying, one 
of his warriors hurried in to tell him that the 
other king had set sail. 

But Olaf would not go until he had finished 
his prayer. Then he set sail. He could see the 
ships far ahead. 

Soon they came in sight of Olaf’s kingdom. 
Then Olaf prayed the sea to roll over the land 
and make a shorter way for him. 

The sea swept over the land and Olaf sailed 
on. As the water covered the ground, the hill 
trolls ran out and cursed him. 

Olaf said, Be turned into stones till I return.” 

The trolls changed to pebbles and rolled down 
6 


82 


KING OLAF. 


the hillsides into the valleys, where they are 
found even yet. 

Olaf reached his kingdom first. The people 
received him gladly. They made him king and 
drove out the army that had come against the 
kingdom. 

Then Olaf called his vassals to a great feast. 
They feasted all day long. Suddenly the door 
swung open. On the doorstep stood a tall man, 
wrapped in a blue cloak. 

Kino; Olaf called the strano^er to sit beside 
him. All night long he told them wonderful 
tales of the gods and of heroes. 

The night was almost over before they went to 
bed. 

In the mornino; the ofuest was - o’one. The 

O o o 

doors were locked. The guard had seen no 
one. 

Then the king and his men whispered, It 
was Odin himself.” 

Away to the north lived a warlock called Rand 
the Strong. He worshiped the storm fiends, 
who often made storms to wreck ships for 
him. 

When Olaf came into his kingdom, he deter¬ 
mined to punish Rand. He sailed away to the 
nortli. When it was dark Olaf’s ship crept softly 
up the bay. 


KIJVG OLAF. 


c •■> 

OU 


Olaf and his men rushed in and overcame Rand 
the Stroim before he Avas awake. 

O 

Then they sailed southward taking his dragon- 
ship with them. Never had such a ship been 
seen in the kini^dom. 

O 

But Olaf wanted a finer ship. He called Thor- 
berg Shafting, the master-builder, and told him 
to build a dragon-ship twice as wide and twice 
as long. 

Thorberg Shafting wdiistled and sang for joy. 
His men too laughed and sang when they heard 
him. 

All day long they hammered and hewed. The 
noise sounded like music to Thorberg Skaft- 

At last the ship was finished, and Olaf and his 
warriors came to see it. 

When they came into the shipyard the work¬ 
men stood staring. Some one had cut the sides 
of the ship from end to end. 

The king’s face grew red with anger and he 
vowed to kill the man who did the deed. 

Thorberg Shafting smiled and said, I am the 
man.” Then he smoothed the sides of the ship 
until Olaf said she was more beautiful than be¬ 
fore. 

The ship was bright with gilding, and the 
figurehead Avas a golden dragon. 


84 


KING OLAF. 


Olaf named her the Long Serpent. He sailed 
the sea in the Long Serpent many years. No 
king was strong enough to overcome him in 
battle. 

But at last three kings came against him 
at once. Olaf sailed with his fleet to meet 
them. 

When he came in sight he ordered his sails to 
be struck so that his ships could not sail away. 

He lashed his ships three together and let them 
drift toward the enemy. 

Then he ordered his warhorns to he played and 
the music sounded far out across the water. 

King Olaf stood on the front of the ship. His 
shield and his armor were of gold and he carried 
his how and arrows in his hand. 

A sailor said, The Long Serpent lies too far 
ahead. We will have too hard a fio^ht.” 

O 

Olaf drew his bow to shoot him, but the 
sailor said. Shoot at the enemy. You need 
me. 

When the ships of the enemy struck against 
Olaf’s ships, Eric, one of the three kings, cut the 
ropes that hound Olaf’s ships together and they 
drifted apart. 

Einar, one of Olaf’s warriors, aimed all his 
arrows at King Eric. But Eric held his shield in 
front of him. 


KING OLAF. 


8 :) 

Tlie carrows flew faster and faster. Eric 
called one of his men to shoot the brave bow¬ 
man. 

An arrow broke Einar’s bow in his hands, but 
he only laughed. 

Olaf said, Take my bow and shoot Eric.” 

Einal* drew the arrow over its head the first time 
he bent the bow. 

Then he threw the bow down and sprang 
on board Eric’s ship with his sword in his 
hand. 

All day long the battle raged until the decks 
were red, and Olaf’s ships were only wrecks. 
Then Eric’s men boarded them. 

Olaf stood on the deck with the spears flying 
about him. 

As Eric’s men rushed across the deck, Olaf’s 
captain sprang to his side and held his shield 
in front of the king. 

For a moment the captain whispered in the 
kinof’s ear 

Then the two men sprang over the side of the 
ship. Eric’s men only saw the flash of their 
golden hair. Then they were gone, and there 
was nothincf left but two shields floatino^ on the 

O O 

water. 

The people thought that Olaf stripped off his 


86 


KING OLAK 


armor as he swam beneath the water, and that 
some time he would come ao;ain. 

But he never came back, and the people called 
him St. Olaf. 



ST. OLAF. 









JSIEGFlllEl) WITH THE HORNY SKIN. 


V 


SIEGFRIED WITH THE HORNY SKIN. 

In a great forest lived a blacksmith. With him 
lived a boy called Siegfried. 

No one knew who Siegfried’s father and mother 
were. One day when the smith was returning 
from a journey, he found a baby lying on a bed 
of leaves under a tree. 

The baby smiled and reached out his little 
hands, and the smith carried him home. And 
very pleasant and bright the little boy made the 
lonely hut for many years, and the smith loved 
him as his own son. 

One day when Siegfried was grown to be a man 
he went into the forest to hunt. There he found 
a draoon’s trail and followed it until he lost him- 
self in the wood. 

As he Avandered about, trying to find his way 
home, he met a dwarf who rode a coal-black horse 
and Avore a glittering croAvn. 

The dAvarf told Siegfried that he Avas near the 
home of the dragon. 

The dragon, he said, had carried aAvay the 
beautiful Princess Kriemhild and held her captive. 

Sieo'fried forced the dwarf to a;o Avith him to 


88 SIEGFRIED WITH THE HORNY SKIN. 

show the way. As they came to the entrance to 
the dragon’s realm, they saw a giant, whose duty 
it was to guard the gateway. 

Siegfried fought Avith the giant and overcame 
him and forced him to show the Avay to the castle. 
There tlie giant sprang upon him and Avounded 
him. But Siegfried threAV the giant over a steep 
rock and killed him. 

Then he entered the castle and found Kriemhild 
weeping. But the maiden dried her tears Avhen 
she saAV Sierfried’s broad shoulders and brave 

O 

face. Then she gave him a SAVord Avhich the 
dragon kept hidden. This Avas the only SAVord in 
the world that the monster feared. 

Just as they Avere ready to go, a roar AA^as heard. 
The mountain trembled, and the dragon appeared 
breathing out fire and smoke. 

Siegfried seized the SAvord and sprang at the 
monster. The dragon breathed out fire until the 
rocks Avere red hot. 

After a long fight the dragon’s horny skin grew 
soft AAuth the heat and the bloAA^s from the sword, 
and Siegfried hewed him to pieces. 

Dipping his finger into the melted skin, Sieg¬ 
fried found that it greAV horny and hard like the 
dragon. 

Then he bathed himself in the melted skin so 
that no SAVord might cut him. But a leaf fell be- 











SIEGFRIED WITH THE UOREY SKIN. 


89 


tween liis shoulders, and one spot was left where a 
sword miofht enter. 

O 

Within the mountain lived the dwarf Sierfriod 
had met. With him lived his two brothers. 

While Sieo'fried was fio-htino' with the draofon, 
the dwarfs carried out their gold. They feared 
that the whole mountain would he melted. 

Sierfried seized the treasure because lie thouo^ht 
it had helono;ed to the draii'on. This o'old was 

o o o 

called the Niheluno'Hoard because it hadhelono-ed 

O ^ 

to old Kinof Nibeluno- the father of the three 

O 

dwarfs. 

Siegfried took Kriemhild hack to her father’s 
kingdom. There he was welcomed by the king. 
Kriemhild was given to him as his wife. 

For many years he remained there, and he be¬ 
came the (greatest hero in the kino-dom. The 

O O 

king’s three sons became jealous of him, but they 
coidd not kill him. because no sword could pierce 
his skin. 

Kreimhild alone kneAV of the spot between his 
shoulders. She told the secret to Hagen, her 
brother’s vassal, because she thought he was Sieg¬ 
fried’s friend and begged him to shield her 
husband in battle. 

Hao’en told her to embroider a little cross on 
Siegfried’s clothing over the spot, that he might 
better know how to protect him. 


90 


SIEGFRIED WITH THE HORNY SKIN. 


Then Haofen hurried to the three brothers with 
tiie tale. One of them ordered a great hunt and 
invited Siegfried. 

When the hunt was over they all sat upon the 
ground to rest. Siegfried called for water. Hagen 
said no water had been brought, but he knew 
where there was a spring. 

Then Siegfried asked to be directed to the 
spring. Hagen said, I have heard that you are 
the swiftest runner in the land.’’ Sierfried re- 

O 

plied, Let us all run a race to the spring.” 

The others laid aside their heavy armor. Sieg¬ 
fried ke23t his on, but he reached the spring first. 

As he stooped to drink Hagen drove a spear' 
through the little cross. Siegfried sprang uj), 
and seizing his shield beat Hagen almost to death. 
Then Siegfried fell dead himself. 

Kriemhild cared nothino* for the sfold after Sies:- 

o o o 

fried’s death. To prevent her from giving it to 
the poor, Hagen hid it in the Rhine, and no man 
ever saw it again. 




STOEIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN. 

By Gertrude B. Schottenfels 

I. 

YOUNG SIEGFRIED. 

In the good old days of Long Ago, when 
kings had absolute power over all their sub¬ 
jects, even in the matter of life and death, 
there dwelt in the citv of Santum, on the 
beautiful Rhine River, a great and good king 
named Siegmund. 

He was very powerful, and ruled over the 
kingdom of Niederland so Avisely and so well 
that he was loved and honored by all his 
people. He shared his throne with Siegelinda, 
his beautiful wife, who also was noble and 
kind of heart. 

Siegmund and Siegelinda had one son, called 
Siegfried—a handsome, well-built lad, with 
eyes as blue and sunny as the sky above on 
a fair spring morning. He was the only 
child of the king and queen, but he was more 
of a sorrow than a joy to them, for he was 
as willful and disobedient as he was beautiful. 
He could not bear to be crossed in any way, 
and Avished that he AA^ere a man, so that he 

might do exactly as he pleased. 

91 



92 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

Siegfried’s parents loved him dearly in 
spite of his faults and all the sorrow his wild 
ways caused them. But one fine morning, 
while the king and queen were still asleep, he 
quietly took his hat, and stole out of the 
castle, for he had made up his mind to go 
out into the wide world to seek his fortune. 

Siegfried walked through the beautiful city, 
and then for some time followed a winding 
country road, until at length he found him¬ 
self in the midst of a dense forest. But he 
was not afraid; he could hear the birds sing¬ 
ing and calling to one another in the green 
trees overhead, and now and then a rabbit 
or a timid squirrel ran across his pathway, 
and disappeared in the bushes. 

So he wandered along, quite happy. Some¬ 
times he would come to a little brook, winding 
its way through the trees and grass, and bab¬ 
bling and singing among its pebbles. Across 
the stream he would leap, as lightly as a hare. 

Thus the day wore on, and as twilight gath¬ 
ered he began to feel very tired and hungry. 
He was just beginning to wonder what he 
should do, when he noticed that he was near¬ 
ing the edge of the forest, and a little farther 
on what should he see but a blacksmith’s shop 
among the bushes. 



THE MEETING OF SIEGFRIED AND MIMI 


































































94 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

In the doorway stood the smith himself in 
his leathern apron—a little, odd, misshapen 
dwarf named Mimi. He looked in wonder at 
the beautiful hoy, who smiled upon him in a 
friendly way, and said: 

“Good-evening. I am almost dead with 
thirst and hunger; will you not take me in, and 
let me he your helper?’^ 

Mimi was about to sav no, when he chanced 
to look at Siegfried the second time. He 
noticed how strong and Avell built the boy was; 
so he said: 

am not really in need of a helper, for 
in this out-of-the-way place there is very 
little work to be done; but if you wish to learn 
my trade, I am willing to give you a trial. 

Siegfried was happy to hear this, and with 
a hearty relish he ate the coarse brown bread 
and bowl of milk which Mimi brought to him. 

The next morning the blacksmith showed 
Siegfried how to blow the bellows, and swing 
the sledge-hammer, and also how to shape a 
horseshoe. 

^‘Now, you try it,*’ he said, laying a red- 
hot piece of iron on the anvil. 

Siegfried was eager to try. He raised the 
hammer above his head, and brought it down 
with such force that the iron flew to pieces 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 95 

and the anvil was buried in the ground. 

Mimi was very angry. He gave the boy a 
box on the ear that nearly knocked him over. 
Now, Siegfried was a king’s son, and never 
before in all his life had any one but his par¬ 
ents dared to punish him. Therefore he was 
indignant, and wdthout giving Mimi a mo¬ 
ment’s warning, he seized the dwarf by the 
collar and dashed him to the ground. 

When Mimi came to his senses, he was 
almost dead with pain and fright. He made 
up his mind then and there that he would have 
his revenge, but he knew he was no match 
for Siegfried in strength; so he picked him¬ 
self up, and pretended that he was not in the 
least angry. After a while he sent Siegfried 
to fetch a basket of coal from the colliery, 
which was near a great linden tree in the 
forest. Under this tree dwelt a terrible 
monster, and Mimi hojied that the huge beast 
would make an end of the lad. 

As Siegfried reached the tree, out rushed 
the monster, with open jaws, ready to devour 
him. But the boy nimbly sprang aside, and 
uprooting a tree which stood near, he brought 
it down with such force on the monster’s 
back that the huge creature was dazed by tha 
blow, and lay writhing in pain. 


96 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

Then, quick as thought, Siegfried pulled up 
tree after tree, and piled them high above the 
struggling monster, pinning him fast to the 
earth. Thus he slowly crushed the terrible 
beast to death. 

As he stood there watching, a pool of blood 
oozed slowly out from under the pile of trees. 
He dipped his finger in it without thinking, 
and was surprised and delighted to find that 
his finger had become as hard as horn, and 
that he could neither scratch nor pierce it. 

‘AVhat a fine thing!’’ thought the lad. 
will bathe myself in the pool, and then noth¬ 
ing on earth can harm me.” 

Accordingly, he quickly undressed and 
bathed himself in the pool; but as he was 
stooping over, a broad leaf from the linden 
tree fell upon his back, between the shoulders, 
and the spot where it lay was not touched by 
the monster’s blood. Siegfried knew nothing 
of the leaf. ‘^Now,” said he to himself, 
am safe; neither sword nor spear can wound 
me.” Then he cut off the monster’s head, 
filled Mimi’s basket with coal, and carried 
both back to the smithy. 

Mimi could hardly believe his eyes when 
Siegfried appeared; he began to fear the won¬ 
derful strength of this half-grown boy, and to 





















STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


97 


bate him with a deadly hatred. However, he 
was far too wise to let Siegfried know his 
feelings, and so he praised the lad^s courage 
highly. But he at once began to think of 
another plan to get rid of him. 

That night, while they were sitting together 
before the tire, Mimi said: • 

know of an adventure which would just 
suit you, Siegfried. If you succeed in it, it 
will make you famous all over the world, and 
you will be very rich.” 

The boy was eager to be off at once, but 
the dwarf declared that Siegfried must first 
listen to a long, strange story. Mimi bade him 
give good heed to what he was about to hear. 

II. 

MIMI’S STORY. 

My fathek was a dwarf, and belonged to 
a race of dwarfs called the Nibelungs. He 
had three sons, Fafner, Otto, and myself. 
Fafner was the eldest; I was the youngest. 
Otto, my second brother, was very fond of 
fishing, and liked nothing better than to spend 
whole days at the sport. 

My father had a magic cap called a tarn- 
helm. Any one who put this cap on could 
make himself invisible, or assume any form 


98 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

lie desired. Otto would borrow this tarnhelm, 
and assuming tlie form of an otter, lie would 
go to a waterfall near our home to fish. He 
would go right into the water, and catching 
the fish in his mouth, would lay them down 
on the bank, one after another, until he had 
enough. Then he would become himself once 
more and would carry the fish home for 
supper. 

Near this waterfall there lived another 
dwarf, named Alberich, who also belonged to 
the race of the Nibelungs. He possessed a 
great treasure of gold, which he had captured 
from the nymphs of the Rhine.- The father 
of the nymphs, the God of the Rhine, had en¬ 
trusted the treasure to their care. 

Alberich gained possession of the Rhine 
gold, but in doing so he lost everything which 
helps to make life beautiful. Like my brother, 
he was very fond of fishing, and taking the 
form of a huge pike, he would go with Otto 
to the waterfall, and fish all day. 

One day Wotan, the King of the Gods, was 
wandering through the forest with Loki, the 
God of Fire. They were both very tired and 
hungry, and as they came near the waterfall, 
what should they spy but an otter in the water, 
with a large salmon in its mouth. Here was 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 99 

a chance not to be missed. Seizing a big 
stone, Loki hnrled it with all his might at 
the otter, killing it instantly. Then they 
carried it to my father’s house, and begged 
for a night’s lodging. 

As soon as my father saw the otter, he told 
them that they had killed his son. Both Wotan 
and Loki were very sorry to hear this, and 
regretted that they could not restore my 
brother to life. To make up to my father for 
what they had done, they agreed to fill the 
otter skin with gold, and also to cover the 
outside of it with the same precious metal. 
Then Wotan sent Loki out in search of gold. 

Now Loki knew that the dwarf Alberich 
possessed the Ehine gold; so he hastened to 
the waterfall, and demanded the entire treas¬ 
ure. 

At first Alberich refused to part with the 
gold; but Loki threatened to kill him unless 
he gave it up. So Alberich unwillingly gave 
the treasure to Loki—all except a ring of 
gold, which he kept hidden in his hand. But 
the god’s eyes were sharp, and he saw what 
Alberich had done. 

Now this ring was a magic ring, and who¬ 
ever owned it might claim all the gold in all 
the rivers and mountains upon earth. Alberich 


100 STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 

believed that if he kept it he could some day 
get back his treasure through its magic power. 

Loki commanded him to give it up, and the 
dwarf refused to do so. Seeing that words 
were useless, the god snatched it from Al- 
berich’s hand, and started off. Alberich fell 
into a terrible furv, and cried: 

“A curse upon the gold! Death to all its 
possessors 

I3ut Loki had obtained that which he set 
out to get. The gold was not to be his, and 
he cared nothing for the dwarf and his curses. 
He only laughed at Alberich, and hastened with 
his burden to my father’s house. 

Wlien Wotan saw the gold ring, he was so 
pleased with its beauty that he placed it on 
his finger, intending to keep it for himself. 
Then they filled the otter’s skin with gold, 
and also covered it over, according to their 
promise. When they had finished, my father 
discovered one spot on its head upon which 
there was no gold. He insisted upon having 
this covered up, and since there was no more 
gold to be had, Wotan unwillingly took the 
ring from his finger, and placed it there. 

Loki was displeased, and cried; 

^‘Now, you ingrate, you have the most 
enormous gold treasure in the world, and I 





























































































































102 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

hope you are satisfied! But remember what 
I say: The gold will prove your ruin, and it 
will also cause your son to fill an early grave.” 

Then the gods took their departure. 

Fafner and I asked our father to give us 
each a share of the gold; but he only laughed 
in a disagreeable way, arid declared his dead 
son was far more precious to him than were 
his living sons. He said that every hair on 
Otto’s head was dear to him. Then he ran 
after us with a stone club, and swore that 
he would kill us if we said another word. We 
said no more, and crept away in fear. 

But that night, as my father lay asleep, 
Fafner stole into his room and slew him. 
Then I came forward, and told my brother 
that I had witnessed his evil deed, and de¬ 
manded that he give me half of the gold. But 
he turned upon me in a blind rage, and cried: 

^‘Flee for your life ere I smite you dead!” 

I fled in fear, without another word. Then 
Fafner put on my father’s tarnhelm and 
escaped with his treasure to the heath, where 
he hid it in a cave among the rocks. But, 
fearful lest it be taken from him, he assumed 
the form of a frightful dragon, that he might- 
protect it better. 

And there he lies day and night, guarding 


STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 


103 


the entrance of the cave, and leaves it only 
when he goes to drink at a neighboring spring. 
No one has dared attack him, for no one has 
the strength to match him. 

III. 

SIEGFRIED’S SWORD. 

When Mimi had finished his story, he looked 
at Siegfried, who had been drinking in every 
word with breathless interest, and asked: 

^‘Well, my lad, what do yon think of that? 
Do you think you could kill the dragon?” 

Siegfried answered, with shining eyes: 

“Come, Mimi, forge me a mighty sword, 
and lead the way to Fafner’s cave, and I will 
show you what I can do.” 

So Mimi set to work to fashion a sword for 
Siegfried. It was to be the strongest, sharpest 
one that man had ever made. The dwarf 
worked day and night until it was finished. 

When he gave it to Siegfried, the boy ex¬ 
amined it carefully, shook his head as though 
in doubt, and then strode to the anvil. He 
struck the iron one powerful blow with the 
sword, and the weapon lay in pieces. 

Mimi told him not to worry, and at once 
set to work upon some of his most finely tem¬ 
pered steel, resolved to make a sword that 


104 STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 

would be a match for Siegfried’s unheard-of 
strength. 

But when it was finished, Siegfried took it 
as he had taken the first, and in a moment the 
blade was shattered on the anvil. Then he 
grew a'ngry and rushed at the dwarf, crying: 

“Oh! you worthless fellow, get you hence 
or I will kill you!” 

Mimi was badly frightened, and hid himself 
behind the fireplace not knowing what might 
happen next. But after a while Siegfried’s 
anger began to cool; then Mimi emerged from 
his hiding-place, and Siegfried saw that he 
held something in each hand. When the dwarf 
came close enough, the lad saw that he carried 
two halves of a splendid sword. 

This, Mimi declared, was none other than 
the sword Wotan had carried on the day upon 
which Otto was killed. “And,” he continued, 
“if I can but weld it together, you will have 
the finest sword that ever a hero wielded.” 
Siegfried could scarcely wait until Mimi fin¬ 
ished the work, so anxious was he to try the 
weapon. 

At length it was ready, and he seized it, 
crying: “Now for the test! Now for the 
test!” Then he raised the mighty blade high 
above his head, and broue*ht it down wfith all 




THE MIGHTY SWORD WAS UNHURT 













































































































106 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

his strength upon the anvil. The whole house 
shook and trembled, and the anvil was split 
in two, but the Aveapon—the mighty sword 
that Wotan himself had flourished—Avas un¬ 
hurt. 

And noAV Mimi was thoroughly frightened, 
for he thought that Siegfried must be Thor 
himself. But he hid his fear, and cried: 

‘^AA^enge me, Siegfried! Slay this dragon, 
and one-half of the Rhine gold shall be yours. 

‘‘Lead the Avay,” the lad replied, “and I 
aatII make short Avork of him.’^ 

So Mimi started for the heath, and Siegfried 
folloAA^ed him joyfully. 

When they dreAV near the place, Mimi 
pointed out a wide, blackened trail leading 
through the grass. This, he said, had been 
made by Fafner, for it AA^as the path the 
dragon took each day AAdien he went to the 
spring to drink. The dAvarf told the boy that 
Fafner spouted flames to the right and left 
as he Avent along, and threshed the grass with 
his monstrous tail at eA^ery step. 

Then he advised Siegfried to dig a deep pit, 
hide himself in it, and as the'dragon craAvled 
over it, to pierce him totthe heart from under¬ 
neath. Siegfried thought the plan a good one,, 
and proceeded at once to dig. 


STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 107 

He did not hear Mimi chuckling to himself, 
behind his back. For Mimi was bent upon 
destroying him, and knew that as soon as 
he had killed the monster, its blood would 
fill the pit, and drown him. Therefore the 
dwarf rejoiced. He withdrew to a safe dis¬ 
tance, and hid himself, to await the coming of 
the dragon, which he greatly feared. 

IV. 

THE DEATH OF THE DRAGON. 

As Siegfried was digging, he became aware 
of a tall one-eyed stranger, clad in a long gray 
cloak, who was standing near by, watching 
him intently. The stranger inquired what 
Siegfried was doing, and upon being told, 
earnestly advised the youth to dig several 
pits, each opening out of the other, so that 
he might escape the flow of blood which would 
otherwise drown him. 

Siegfried was very grateful for the advice, 
and began to act upon it at once. Then Wotan 
(for the one-eyed stranger was none other than 
the god) disappeared from view. When he 
was through digging, Siegfried heaped brush 
and weeds above the first pit, so that it might 
not be noticed, and getting down into it, 
awaited the coming of the dragon. 


108 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

He had not long to wait. Of a sudden, a 
great noise, like the tramping of a thousand 
horses, fell upon his ear. Then came a roar¬ 
ing as of the sea, and he saw the huge monster 
come slowly along, thrashing the earth with 
its great tail, and spouting flames to the left 
and the right. 

On and on it came, until he could feel its 
breath hot above his face. He firmly grasped 
his sword, and gave one swift upward thrust, 
quickly withdrawing it, and then he nimbly 
leaped into the next pit, followed by a rush 
of blood, and then through the next, and so 
on, till he reached safe ground. 

When he went back to the first pit, he found 
the dragon writhing and groaning in its death 
agony. As soon as it saw him, it cried out, 
for it still retained the power of human speech: 

^‘Oh! you unlucky one, the gold will prove 
your ruin as it has mine. A curse is on it. 
Who has it is accursed!” 

Saying this, the creature died. 

Then Siegfried carefully cleaned his sword, 
and replaced it in its sheath, and as he did so, 
he noticed some blood upon his hand. He 
licked it off, and no sooner had it touched his 
tongue, than a strange thing happened. He 
could understand everything which the birds 



“THE GOLD WILL PROVE YOUR RUINl" 
















































110 STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 

overhead were saying. He stood still and 
listened, and what was his astonishment to 
find that they were actually talking to him! 

One told him that Mimi was untrue to him, 
and was constantly plotting his death; that 
even at that very moment the dwarf was ap¬ 
proaching with a poisoned drink which he 
would offer to Siegfried, so that he might not 
have to keep his promise of sharing the Rhine 
gold. The bird advised him to kill the dwarf. 

Sure enough, at that very moment Mimi 
came forward, praising Siegfried’s bravery, 
and offering him the poisoned drink in the 
most friendly manner, smiling deceitfully all 
the while. Our hero turned upon him in anger, 
and forced him to drain the cup himself, 
whereupon the wretched dwarf fell to earth, 
lifeless. 

Then the birds told Siegfried to enter the 
dragon’s cave, and get the ring and the tarn- 
helm, the possession of which would make him 
all-powerful. This he did, and then he rolled 
the dragon’s enormous body to the entrance 
of the cave, where the Rhine gold still lay, 
and sealed up the entrance with it. 

As he stood there, wondering what he should 
do next, he heard the birds singing of a 
mountain far away, where a maiden named 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN m 

Brunhilda lay in an enchanted sleep, sur¬ 
rounded by a ring of magic flames. Here she 
must slumber till there should appear a man 
strong and brave enough to dash through the 
flames and waken her with a kiss. 

Siegfried determined to journey to the 
mountain. So he returned to the smithy, and 
saddled Mimi’s horse, which was a strong, 
faithful creature, and then he rode away to 
seek the sleeping maiden. 

Many days and nights he wandered, and 
at length, early one morning as he ascended 
the highlands, he saw a rosy glow in the dis¬ 
tance, which grew ever brighter and brighter. 
“The rising sun,” he said to himself, but he 
knew' that it was not the rising sun. On 
and on he rode, and ever brighter and brighter 
grew the sky, until at length he came upon 
the flames themselves, and he knew that he 
had reached his journey’s end. 

V. 

THE STOEY OF BRUNHILDA. 

As Siegfried drew nearer, he could hear the 
crackling of the flames, and when his horse 
saw the fire, the animal reared up on its hind 
legs, and snorted in terror. But Siegfried 
knew no fear. Putting spurs to his horse, he 


112 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

boldly forced it through the flames, and, lo! 
both horse and rider passed through un¬ 
harmed. 

Before Siegfried’s eyes was a wondrous 
sight. On the mountain stood a castle, the 
strangest ever seen, for it was built entirely of 
green marble, as were all the buildings round 
it; and there, on the grassy slope before the 
castle, lay a young warrior, clad in shining 
armor, with a helmet on his head. 

Siegfried went up to him, to ask him where 
he might find the maiden. But the warrior 
was sunk in slumber, and made no reply when 
Siegfried spoke. Siegfried shook him roughly, 
to waken him, but he still slept on. Then 
Siegfried opened the young man’s visor and 
removed his helmet. What was his surprise 
to find, within, the long fair hair and rosy 
face of a beautiful woman! 

This, then, was Brunhilda; it could be no 
other. Bending over her, he pressed a kiss 
lightly on her lips. Immediately Brunhilda 
awoke, and thanked the young hero for break¬ 
ing the magic spell which bound her. Then, 
as they sat together in the marble palace, 
Brunhilda told her storv. 

She was one of Wotan’s eight daughters 
who were called Walkyries. They were beau- 



PUTTING SPURS TO HIS HORSE, HE BOLDLY FORCED IT 

THROUGH THE FLAMES 





















114 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

tiful goddesses of immense size and strength, 
and used to follow Wo tan when he went into 
battle. Occasionally, when two knights or 
two countries battled against each other, they 
would award the palm of victory to one or 
the other. It was also their duty to carry all 
slain heroes to Walhalla, the beautiful palace 
of Wotan. 

One day Brunhild a disobeyed her father ^s 
orders, and awarded the victory to the hero 
whom Wotan wished overthrown. Wotan was 
very angry, and as a punishment he forbade 
her to dwell among the gods and goddesses, 
and declared that never again should she set 
foot in Walhalla. Furthermore, he would 
cause her to wed a mortal man, thus becoming 
a mortal woman, instead of a goddess. 

Brunhilda was overcome with grief, as were 
all of her sisters. They all pleaded with 
Wotan not to punish her in this way. But he 
had already pronounced sentence upon her, 
and could not retract his word. Then Brun¬ 
hilda wept piteously, and begged him at least 
to grant that her husband might be a hero. 
This he promised, and then disclosed his plan. 

He would sink her in a magic sleep, and 
would order Loki, the fire-god, to kindle some 
magic flames, which were to encircle her. She 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN II 5 

was to slumber until awakened by a man brave 
enougii to go through fire for her sake, 
‘‘And/’ continued AVotan, “of course only a 
hero would show such courage.” Then he 
assured her that when the hero came he should 
be unharmed bv the rina* of fire. 

And so, with streaming eyes, Brunhilda bade 
her sisters a long farewell. Never again, so 
long as she lived, would she behold them. 
Wotan was deeply touched when he saw her 
grief, and with a last tender kiss upon her 
beautiful brow, he laid her on the grassy slope, 
and pronounced the magic words which bound 
her. 


VI. 

GUNTHER AND KRIEAIHILD. 

Siegfried remained for a long time with 
Brunhilda at Isenheim (which was the ancient 
name for Ireland), where all the buildings were 
of green marble. He then started for home, 
promising her that he would return and marry 
her, as soon as he had visited his parents, 
whom he now felt he had treated very cruelly. 

Brunhilda replied that she too thought that 
he ought to visit his mother and father, but 
that he must promise to return as soon as he 
had done so. He readily promised, and sealed 


116 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


his pledge by placing his magic ring upon her 
finger. Then he set out for Niederland. 

On the way thither, he had to pass through 
the city of Worms in Burgundy. Now in this 
city dwelt a powerful king called Gunther, 
who ruled over all Burgundy. He had an 
ancle named Hagen, who was his dead father’s 
brother, and who was also Gunther’s most 
valued adviser on all occasions. Gunther was 
so great and mighty that four and twenty 
kings paid him tribute. 

He had a sister, named Kriemhild, who was 
noted far and wide for her wondrous beautv. 
Once Kriemhild had had a. strange dream. 
She thought that she was out hunting with her 
pet falcon, and that two fierce eagles swooped 
down from the sky, and killed the bird before 

her eves. 

%/ 

Now in these olden times people were very 
superstitious, and believed that every dream 
had a meaning. Kriemhild related her dream 
to her mother, Uota, and asked what it meant. 
Uota replied: 

^‘The falcon signifies a noble man who will 
win you for his bride; but the two eagles 
stand for two powerful enemies, who will 
cause his death.” 

Then Kriemhild was very sad, and declared 



UOTA GIVES SIEGFRIED THE MAGIC POTION 



































































































































118 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

that she did not wish to marry any one, as it 
would bring her only sorrow. 

Not long after this Siegfried arrived at 
Worms, and although he knew no one in all 
the city, everybody was anxious to learn who 
he was, he was so handsome and noble look¬ 
ing. Hagen advised Gunther to make friends 
with him, for he thought it very likely that the 
stranger might prove to be Siegfried, whose 
fame was spreading fast. 

Hagen related how Siegfried had killed the 
linden-monster, slain the dragon, won the 
Rhine gold, and gained possession of the 
magic cap and ring. When Uota heard all 
this, she determined that Siegfried should 
marry her beautiful daughter. When he en¬ 
tered the castle at Worms, Gunther received 
him cordially, and made haste to offer him 
both food and drink. Siegfried accepted both 
gratefully, for he was hungry and thirsty. 
Uota hastily prepared a magic potion, and no 
sooner had the hero drunk it than all memory 
of the past, Brunhilda included, faded from 
his mind. 

Siegfried remained at Worms for one whole 
year, and in all that time he never once got 
a glimpse of Kriemhild, although the fame of 
her beauty reached him from every side. She, 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN HQ 

however, had seen him from lier window while 
he was tilting with her brother’s knights, and 
she thought that never before had she seen 
any one so brave and handsome. 

Not long after this, the Danes and the Sax¬ 
ons declared war against Gunther. He quickly 
gathered together his ‘army, and set out to 
battle with them. His two younger brothers, 
Giselherr and Gernot, went with him, and 
Siegfried accompanied him as his body-guard. 

And now began anxious days and nights 
for Kriemhild. She was filled with dread lest 
her brothers or Siegfried be slain. She eagerly 
awaited tidings of every battle. She heard 
that the Saxons and Danes were being hard 
pressed, and also that the most brave and 
reckless warrior among all the Burgundian 
hosts was her brother’s guest and body-guard. 

Not long after this, the BurgTindians were 
victorious, and captured both the Danish and 
the Saxon king. This ended the war, and 
Gunther and all his troops returned to Worms, 
where the king held a great feast to celebrate 
his victory. And here for the first time Sieg¬ 
fried saw Kriemhild, and he thought her the 
most beautiful woman he had ever seen. 

He was almost afraid to speak to her, so 
wondrous was her beauty, but she thanked him 


120 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


very prettily and gratefully for all that he had 
done for her brother; and when he replied that 
everything he had done had been done for 
her sake, she smiled and was content. Sieg¬ 
fried had fallen deeply in love with her, and 
made up his mind to spare no effort to win 
her for his bride. 


VII. 

SIEGFEIED RETURNS TO IRELAND. 

Meanwhile, in Ireland, Brunhilda was 
eagerly awaiting Siegfried’s return. Days 
grew into weeks, weeks lengthened into months, 
and still he did not come. At first she could 
not believe that he had deserted her. She 
would look at the beautiful ring which he 
had given her, and all her faith and trust in 
him would return. 

But when months slowly lengthened into 
years, and the years passed one after an¬ 
other, she began to give up the hope of ever 
seeing him again. 

Now, as I have said before, Brunhilda was 
very beautiful, and soon suitors began flock¬ 
ing around her, anxious to win her hand in 
marriage. But Brunhilda loved Siegfried very 
dearly and had no desire to marry any one 
else. Therefore she declared that whoever 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


121 


sought to marry her must match his strength 
with hers; if he were victorious, she would 
wed him, hut if he failed, he should lose his 
head in forfeit, according to the custom of 
these olden days. 

Many gallant suitors came, entered the con¬ 
test, failed and lost their heads, for Brun- 
hilda was a Walkvrie, and more than a match 
in strength for any man. She did not like 
to kill her lovers, but they persisted in com¬ 
ing, and she did her best at every trial. 

Meanwhile the fame of her strength and 
beauty traveled afar, and reached Gunther at 
Worms. He determined to journey to Isen- 
heim, and enter the lists against her. Accord¬ 
ingly he went to Siegfried, and asked aid of 
him. Siegfried replied: 

will gladly help you, if you, on your 
part, will help me win the hand of your beau¬ 
tiful sister.’’ 

Gunther was very grateful for the aid Sieg¬ 
fried had given him in the Saxon war. So 
he promised that on the day Brunhilda ar¬ 
rived in Worms he would give him Kriemhild 
for his bride. Siegfried was satisfied, and 
agreed to travel to Ireland with Gunther, as 
his vassal, and to present his petition to Brun¬ 
hilda. 


122 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

Then they arrayed themselves in costly 
garments and set sail, and after a twelve-day 
voyage they reached the coast of Ireland. 
When Siegfried beheld the green palaces of 
marble, he felt a vague uneasiness, for it all 
had a strangely familiar look. Where had he 
seen this place before? He remembered it 
dimly, as in a dream. 

When he entered Brunhilda’s palace, she 
advanced to meet him, with both hands out¬ 
stretched, crying: 

‘^Siegfried, is it indeed you, and have you 
come to tilt with me?” 

He looked at her with the eyes of a stranger, 
and replied: 

‘H come to represent Gunther, King of 
Burgundy. He wishes to sue for your heart 
and hand. He is my lord; I am his vassal, 
and have come to do his bidding.” 

Brunhilda was sorely grieved and perplexed; 
she could not in the least understand Sieg¬ 
fried’s behavior. Surely it was he who had 
aroused her from her magic sleep, and surely 
it was he who had placed the beautiful ring 
upon her hand, vowing that he would return 
and claim her for his bride. But as he con¬ 
tinued to look at her as though he had never 
seen her before, she felt that she must reply. 


STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 


123 


And as she had no reasonable excuse for 
refusing his request, she said that Gunther 
might enter the lists with her. She felt sure 
that he, too, would be overthrown. Siegfried 
thanked her gravely for her kindness, and 
made haste to carry her reply back to Gunther. 

He then disclosed his plan to aid Gunther 
in the undertaking. Gunther was to appear 
clad in armor and mounted upon Siegfried’s 
horse, the one which had belonged to Mimi; 
then he, Siegfried, would put on his tarnhelm 
and become invisible; Gunther was to ride 
boldly into the field, and go through all the 
necessary motions, while Siegfried, unseen 
by the others, would do all the actual fight¬ 
ing. 

Gunther said he considered the plan a cap¬ 
ital one, and declared that Siegfried was as 
clever as he was brave. 

VIII. 

HOW GUNTHER WON HIS BRIDE. 

The day of the tournament dawned bright 
and fair. The field was crowded with lovely 
women and brave knights. Twelve men now 
appeared, bearing an immense round stone, 
which was so large that it took all their united 
strength to handle it. They set it down in 


124 


STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 


that part of the field where the contest was 
to take place. 

At length all was ready. From the castle 
issued forth the warrior-king and the warrior- 
maiden. They were clad in glistening armor, 
and mounted on prancing chargers. The 
signal was given, and then began a test of 
strength such as had never before been wit¬ 
nessed. 

Brunhilda seized her javelin, and hurled it 
with such force that when Siegfried caught it 
upon Gunther’s shield the shield was shat¬ 
tered into pieces. Then Siegfried, still in¬ 
visible, grasped Gunther’s javelin, and hurled 
it with such force at Brunhilda that she was 
thrown to the ground. She was overcome 
with surprise and anger; never before had 
such a thing befallen her. 

Quickly recovering herself, she sprang to 
her feet, and grasping the huge stone which 
twelve men had found hard to carrv, she 
whirled it deftly thrice around her head, and 
then threw it far into the distance. Then, 
while the people sat spell-bound, she leaped 
after it, and sprang lightly over the stone. 

^‘Now,” thought she to herself, ^‘surely no 
one can do more than that.” 

But she had reckoned without Siegfried. 



BRUNHILDA WAS THROWN TO THE GROUND 

















126 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


Hastily seizing the stone, he Imrled it much 
farther than Brunhilda had thrown it, and 
not to be outdone by her, he grasped Gunther 
firmly under the arms, and sprang with him 
over the stone, landing much farther beyond 
it than she had. 

Then a mighty shout from thousands of 
throats rent the air, and while the people were 
crowding around, hailing Gunther as victor,. 
Siegfried tore oft his tarnhelm, and took his 
place among the crowd. 

And now what could Brunhilda do! She 
had publicly proclaimed that she would marry 
any man whose strength was greater than her 
own, so sure had she felt of her power. She 
would not break her word, and so with a sor¬ 
rowful heart she made ready to travel back to 
Worms with Gunther. 

At Worms Kriemhild joyfully accepted 
Siegfried’s hand, and there was a grand 
double wedding, at which all Burgundy was 
present. The festivities lasted fourteen days. 

One evening, while Gunther and his bride 
were sitting together, Gunther noticed tears 
on Brunhilda’s lashes, and asked what was 
troubling her. She replied that she was griev¬ 
ing that his sister had married his vassal. 
This was not the truth. She was feeling sad 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 127 

and lonely because the man she loved so well 
had taken Kriemhild for his bride. 

Gunther told her not to worry, as he could 
explain all that to her, and promised to do so 
at some future time. He said that Siegfried 
was greater than she knew. 

After the wedding, Siegfried and Kriemhild 
journeyed to Santum, to visit Siegmund and 
Siegelinda, whom he had left in his youth. 
They were overjoyed to see him, and listened 
with breathless interest to all he had to tell. 
They knew all about the dragon, and the 
Ehine gold, and the magic cap which he had 
won, for the fame of his wondrous deeds had 
traveled far and wide. And now, strange to 
tell, Siegfried had recovered the memory of 
almost all his past; only Brunhilda and the 
magic ring remained forgotten. 

After the young couple had been at Santum 
for some time, Siegmund withdrew from his 
throne, and made Siegfried and Kriemhild the 
rulers of the kingdom. The people of Nieder- 
land hailed the hero with delight, although 
they grieved to give up their old king and 
queen, who had won the hearts of all their sub¬ 
jects by their wisdom and kindness. 


128 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


IX. 

KEIEMHILD AND BRUNHILD A’S 

QUARREL. 

Years passed by, and Brunbilda had come 
to love her husband very dearly. They had 
one child, a little boy whom they had named 
Siegfried. Kriemhild, meanwhile, had been 
living very happily with her husband in 
Niederland. They had had two great sorrows, 
the death of the old king and that of the queen, 
and all the people of Niederland still mourned 
the loss of these two. 

Then there arrived one day in Niederland a 
messenger from the King and Queen of Bur¬ 
gundy, inviting Siegfried and Kriemhild to 
attend a great feast which was to be held in 
Worms. They accepted with pleasure. Kriem¬ 
hild was anxious to see her mother and broth¬ 
ers again, for she loved them dearly. So 
they started for Burgundy. 

For some days after they arrived in Worms 
everything went happily. But then the tourna¬ 
ments began, and Siegfried won every honor 
as he had done in days gone by, for he had 
lost none of his wonderful strength. Both 
the queens were present at the contests, and 


STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 


129 


as lie overthrew one knight after another, 
Kriemhild looked at him lovingly, and said 
that he was the best and greatest king the 
world had ever seen, and that no king could 
stand against him; all paid him tribute. 

Brunhilda replied: “All except Gunther; 
next to him Siegfried is the most powerful 
king on earth; but strong as your husband is, 
he could never hold his own against Gunther. ’ ’ 

Kriemdiild controlled her temper, and made 
no reply, but that evening when they attended 
vespers, Kriemhild attempted to enter the 
cathedral first. Brunhilda interfered, saying: 

“The wife of a vassal should never pre¬ 
cede the wife of his lord!’’ 

“And who says that King Siegfried is 
Gunther’s vassal?” demanded Kriemhild. 

“I have his own word for it,” Brunhilda 
replied. “When they first appeared in Ire¬ 
land, Siegfried approached me, saying: ‘I 
come to represent the King of Burgundy; I 
am his vassal, he is my lord.’ ” 

Then Kriemhild lost all patience, for well 
she knew by what trick Gunther had won his 
bride. She cried: 

“And do you think that Gunther overthrew 
you in the tilt! Gunther only pretended to 
fight. It was Siegfried, made invisible by his 


130 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

tarnlielm, who did the real fighting; it was 
Siegfried who hurled the javelin which un¬ 
horsed you; it was Siegfried who threw the 
heavy stone, and he it was, invisible to you, 
but holding Gunther in his arms, who sprang 
over the stone, and vanquished you.’’ 

Looking at Kriemhild’s heaving breast and 
blazing eye, Brunhilda knew she spoke the 

truth. And at the same time, there flashed 

/ 

across her mind something that Gunther had 
once said to her about Siegfried being greater 
than she knew. 

And now she fell into a royal rage, and her 
indignation knew no bounds. There was but 
one way of atonement; Siegfried must die for 
the deceit practiced on her. So she went to 
Hagen, Gunther’s uncle, who had promised 
always to defend her rights, and demanded 
Siegfried’s life. 

When Hagen first spoke to Gunther of the 
matter, Gunther would not hear of the plan to 
do away with Siegfried, and vowed that no 
harm should befall the man with whom he 
had sworn blood brothership ere they set out 
for Ireland. But Brunhilda was firai in her 
resolve; nothing less than his death would 
satisfy her honor, nor wipe out the stain of 
his deceit. 























































































































132 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


And finally Gunther gave an unwilling con¬ 
sent. However, they could not fall upon Sieg¬ 
fried, and kill him in cold blood, so Hagen 
made a clever plan: they would receive a false 
summons to war. Accordingly, a few days 
later, a messenger rode posthaste into Worms, 
bearing the false tidings that the enemy was 
approaching. ' 

Then everything was in great confusion, and 
Gunther assembled his hosts, and set out to 
meet the enemy. Siegfried accompanied him, 
to render what assistance he could, for he 
loved his kinsman as a brother. Just before 
the army started on the march, Kriemhild 
went to Hagen, and begged him to watch over 
her husband, and see to it that no one at¬ 
tacked him from behind, for she explained that 
Siegfried could not be wounded anywhere ex¬ 
cept in the spot on his back where the linden- 
leaf had fallen. 

Hagen readily promised. He craftily sug¬ 
gested that Kriemhild should sew some mark 
above the spot, so that he might know ex¬ 
actly when danger threatened. Kriemhild fell 
in at once with his plan; with loving care 
she stitched a white silk cross upon her hus¬ 
band’s clothes. Then Gunther and his troops 
rode away. 


STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 


133 


tor tiO-cl nctdoii. some distance, they 
were met by another messenger, with the false 
tidings that the enemy had began a retreat. 

Gunther appeared to be overjoyed at the 
news, and suggested that a mighty hunt should 
be held, to celebrate the occasion. The troops 
were dispatched back to Worms, and the royal 
party set out for the chase, which they greatly 
enjoyed. 

When the dinner-horn sounded for the hunt¬ 
ers to assemble to their meal, Siegfried ap¬ 
peared, dragging a live bear behind him. He 
was received with shouts of applause. They 
at once proceeded to kill and roast the bear. 
Every one was in the best of spirits, and as 
hungry as could be; but when they sat down 
to eat, it was discovered that the wine was 
missing; Hagen had purposely left it behind. 

Siegfried, especially, was very thirsty, and 
playfully chided Hagen for forgetting so im¬ 
portant an article. Thereupon Hagen said 
that he knew of a spring, not far away, where 
Siegfried might quench his thirst, and dared 
him- to run a race there. Siegfried accepted 
the challenge, and easily won the race, as 
Hagen knew he would. 

He had laid aside his weapons, and was 
already kneeling to drink, when Hagen came 


134 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


up behind him. ha,” laughed Sieg¬ 

fried, have won the race, and am therefore 
entitled to the first drink.” 

^‘You are,” answered Hagen quietly, pick¬ 
ing up Siegfried’s sword, and poising it above 
the spot where Kriemhild had sewn the white 
cross; and without saving another word he 
drove it home with such force that the point 
of it pierced Siegfried’s breast. 

In agony, the hero sprang to his feet, and 
seizing his shield, hurled it with all his might 
at Hagen, throwing him to the ground. Then 
he, too, fell, and the blood from his wounds 
stained the grass a deep crimson; and thus 
died Siegfried, the great and mighty hero, 
calling upon Kriemhild with his last breath to 
avenge his foul murder. 

Then they placed his body on his shield and 
carried it back to AVorms, and laid it at Kriem¬ 
hild’s door. Next morning, as she was go¬ 
ing to mass, her waiting-maid, who preceded 
her on the way out, suddenly cried: 

‘^Go back, go back, and do not come this 
way, for here lies the body of a dead warrior.” 

But Kriemhild’s heart misgave her, and she 
would not go back, and when she saw the body 
she uttered a great cry, for she knew instantly 
that it was Siegfried. 






















136 


STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 


She bade the servants carry it inside, and 
lay it on his bed, and her grief knew no 
bounds. Then she sent for Gunther, and 
wildly accused him of the deed, and he as 
wildly denied his guilt. Then she said: 

‘‘If you are indeed innocent, you need not 
fear to stand in the presence of the dead.’^ 
Gunther was not afraid, and went with her 
into the death chamber. While they were 
standing there, looking at Siegfried, Hagen 
suddenly entered the room, and lo! all the 
dead man’s wounds began to bleed afresh. 

She knew by his sign that Hagen was guilty 
of her husband’s death, and she swore un¬ 
dying vengeance. She supposed that he had 
killed him to gain possession of his vast riches, 
and she determined to spoil his plan. But 
Hagen was as crafty as he was clever, and so 
he induced Brunhilda to give him the gold 
ring as a reward for his services to her. She ■ 
knew nothing of its great value, and she hated 
it now because it reminded her of the false 
Siegfried. So she willingly gave it to Hagen, 
whom she considered her greatest benefactor. 

No sooner had he the ring in his possession 
than he journeyed to Niederland, and there by 
its magic power he gained possession of the 
Ehine jrold. It took him fourteen davs and 


STORIES OP THE NIBELUNGEN 137 

nights to remove the treasure from the cave 
on the heath. He then sunk it in the Rhine, 
where he intended to leave it hidden until 
after Kriemhild’s death; but no sooner had 
he flung it into the river than the Rhine 
nymphs seized it for their own, determined to 
guard it so well this time that never again 
should their father, the God of the Rhine, have 
occasion to bewail its loss, and their unfaith¬ 
fulness. 

When Kriemhild reached Niederland, and 
found that the gold had been stolen from 
Fafner’s cave, she was even more determined 
than before that she would be revenged upon 
Hagen. 


X. 

KRIEMHILD’S REVENGE. 

Years passed by, and Kriemhild still 
mourned the loss of her noble husband. Often 
and often she recalled the dream that she had 
had in the days before Siegfried appeared in 
Worms. How trulv her mother had inter- 

t/ 

preted its meaning! 

And now she had but one wish on earth, 
and that was to avenge his death. She was 
not so beautiful as she had once been; con¬ 
stant tears had washed the brightness from 


138 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


lier eyes, and her cheeks were very pale. 

One day there appeared in the castle a 
noble-looking stranger, who asked to speak 
with the queen. He was admitted to her 
presence, and she asked him his name, and 
also to what she owed the honor of his pres¬ 
ence at her court. 

He replied: “I am Rudiger of Bechlarn, 
of the court of Etzelburg. I have come hither 
at the request of my master, Etzel the King 
of the Huns, to ask your hand for him in 
marriage. ’ ’ 

At first Kriemhild refused to listen to 
him. What had she to do with love and mar¬ 
riage I All the love of her heart lay buried 
in Siegfried’s grave; all the joy of her life 
had vanished when he died. All that she 
wished for was revenge, and after that to 
share her dear one’s tomb. 

But Rudiger would not take no for an 
answer. Then, when he found that revenge 
was what she longed for, he saw his oppor- 
tunitv. He told her that if she would but 
become King Etzel’s wife, he, himself, would 
promise to avenge her every wrong, not only 
those which might arise in time to come, but 
even those which she had suffered in the past. 

Here at last was the chance she had so 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN I39 

patiently awaited, and she eagerly seized it. 
She consented to become Etzel’s bride, and 
Rudiger willingly swore undying fealty to her 
and her cause. And so she returned with him 
to Etzelburg, where the marriage was cele¬ 
brated with royal pomp and ceremony. 

King Etzel loved Kriemhild dearly, and was 
very kind to her. She was truly grateful to 
him, but she could not forget Siegfried, not 
even when a dear little son came to her. The 
child was named Ortlieb. And so time sped 
by, until the little boy’s fifth birthday. 

Kriemhild had now been in Etzelburg thir¬ 
teen years, and in all this time she had 
neither seen nor heard from her home and 
kindred. One day she went to her husband, 
and told him that she was becoming ashamed 
of being a stranger in a foreign land without 
any kinspeople of her own. She said she 
thought it was high time that some of her 
family should come to visit her, and begged 
him to make a feast, and invite them all to be 
present. 

Her slightest wish was Etzel’s law, and so 
he willingly granted her request. He at once 
dispatched a messenger with the invitation. 
Just before the messenger set out, Kriemhild 
went to him and told him to be sure that 


140 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


every one of her relatives accepted the invi¬ 
tation. In this way, she hoped to get her 
uncle Hagen within reach, without rousing 
any one’s suspicions. 

Now, when it had become known in Worms 
that Etzel had asked Kriemhild to marry him, 
Hagen had been filled with alarm. He told 
Gunther that it might mean great disaster for 
them, should Kriemhild marry Etzel, as he 
Avas one of the most powerful kings of the 
time. 

But now thirteen years had passed, and they 
had neither seen nor heard from the Hunnish 
king and queen, and Gunther no longer feared 
trouble from that source. Then canie Kriem¬ 
hild’s invitation, and for seven days it was 
discussed by the royal family at Worms. 

Should they accept it I Gunther and his 
two brothers, Giselherr and Gernot, were 
anxious to do so, for they thought it meant 
that their sister wished to be at peace with 
her family. Gunther, particularly, was eager 
to be friendly, as he loved Kriemhild dearly. 

Hagen alone had misgivings, and well might 
he dread meeting her, for he knew hoAV sorely 
she had suffered at his hands. He sullenlv 
refused to go, until Gernot at length cried 
out: 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


141 


“I know what ails Hagen! He is thinking 
of Siegfried’s death, and fears to go to Etzel- 
burg. ’ ’ 

Hagen did not wish to be thought afraid, 
so he consented to go, and they all prepared 
to accompany the messenger to Etzel’s court 
on the following day—all except Uota, who 
was getting too old and feeble to leave home. 

That night Uota had a dreadful dream; she 
thought that all the birds lay dead in the 
forests, and when she awoke, she hated to see 
her sons go, for she knew that her dream 
meant danger to them. 

However, they set out, accompanied by one 

thousand brave men. On their way to Etzel’s 

country, they came to a river that they had 
« 

to cross; but they found they could not cross 
it on horseback, as it was swollen too high. 
So they had to wait until a boat should ap¬ 
pear. 

While they were waiting, they chanced to 
see two swan-maidens, who had come to the 
stream to bathe; the maidens had laid aside 
their feathers, and were playing about in the 
water like mermaids. Now Hagen knew they 
possessed the gift of foretelling the future, 
and he laid a clever plan. 

When they came out of the water, they 


142 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


found their clothes gone, and they were very 
much troubled, for without their feather 
garments they could not fly away. Then Hagen 
approached them, and said he would give their 
feathers back if thev would tell him what was 

•V 

to happen to the Burgundians in EtzePs land. 
Then one of the maidens, who cared nothing 
for him or his friends, and thought only of 
regaining her clothes, without which she could 
never reach her home in the sky, replied: 

^^Evervthing is fair and clear for the men 
of Burgundy. Sail on, sail on. You have 
naught to fear.” 

Hagen was delighted, and returned their 
garments with a light heart. The maidens 
quickly put their feathers' on, and spread 
their wings in flight; but as they rose into the 
blue sky the second one cried to Hagen: 

‘‘Turn back, turn back; death and blood¬ 
shed await you in Etzelburg! Only one, of all 
your number, Avill ever live to see your native 
land again.” 

Then they disappeared in the azure depths 
above, and Hagen was left with a heavy heart. 

At length the Burgundians secured a vessel, 
and embarked. They were met on the other 
side of the river by Dietrich von Bern, one of 
the lords of the Hunnish court, who greeted 




























































144 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

Hagen with these words of friendly warning: 

“Kriemhild still mourns for Siegfried’s 
loss.” 

But poor Hagen had jio way of turning 
back; he had to accompany the others, whether 
he would or no. And sure enough, when he 
came into Kriemhild’s presence she drew her¬ 
self up haughtily, and asked: 

‘^And pray, wdio invited you here. Sir 
Hagen? Who bid you to this feast!” 

Hagen replied that he was a retainer of 
Gunther’s, and that wherever Gunther went, 
he, too, must go; but her attitude and greet¬ 
ing showed him plainly that she had not for¬ 
given him for his treachery. 

Kriemhild greeted her brothers very cor¬ 
dially, and seemed rejoiced to see them, and 
for a few days all went well. Then came the 
banquet, in the midst of which in rushed Dank- 
wart, Hagen’s brother, with blood flowing from 
a dozen wounds, and told them that the Huns 
had fallen upon Gunther’s men and slain 
them all. 

And immediately everything was in the 
wildest confusion. Protected by Eudiger, 
Kriemhild and Etzel escaped from the banquet 
hall. Then ensued a fierce battle in which all 
of the Huns, with the exception of Dietrich, 


STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 


145 


and all the Burgundians, except Gunther and 
Hagen, were slain. Finally Dietrich van¬ 
quished these two, and bound them hand and 
foot. Then he sought Kriemhild, and made 
her give her word of honor that he, and he 
alone, should be permitted to put them to 
death. After that he turned the prisoners over 
into her keeping. She ordered them to be con¬ 
fined in separate dungeons. 

Then she visited Hagen and sought by 
every means in her power to discover what he 
had done with the Ehine gold. This he re¬ 
fused to tell, saying he had taken a solemn 
oath never to reveal its hiding-place so long 
as one of his lords remained alive. Then she 
said that she would spare Gunther’s life if 
Hagen would tell her where the gold was 
secreted. 

But Hagen would not tell his secret, even 
to save the life of his liege lord and kinsman. 
And so she ordered that both of them should 
be beheaded, according to the custom of these 
olden times. And thus at last was Siegfried’s 
death avenged by the once gentle and beau¬ 
tiful queen. 

And of all the men of Burgundy who had 
crossed the water to attend King Etzel’s feast, 
but one remained to carry the sad news back 


146 STORIES OF THE NIBELUNGEN 

to their native land; and that was the old 
chaplain of Gunther court. Everything had 
come to pass just as the swan-maiden had pre¬ 
dicted. And hack iu Burgundy, Uota sorrow¬ 
fully lived out her days with none in all that 
broad land to brew for her lips the cup of 
forgetfulness, such as she had given Siegfried. 
And so we must leave her alone with her sad 


memories. 


THE SAGA OF KING OLAF 


By Heniy W. Longfellow 

THE BUILDING OF THE LONG SERPENT 

Thorberg Skafting, master-builcler, 

In his ship-yard by the sea, 

Whistling said, ‘Ht would bewilder 
Any man but Thorberg Skafting, 

Anv man but me! ’ ’ 

Near him lay the Dragon stranded. 

Built of old by Baud the Strong, 

And King Olaf had commanded 
He should build another Dragon, 

Twice as large and long. 

Therefore whistled Thorberg Skafting, 

As he sat with half-closed eyes. 

And his head turned sideways, drafting 
That new vessel for King Olaf 
Twice the Dragon’s size. 

Round him busily hewed and hammered 

Mallet huge and heaw axe; 

AVorkmen laughed and sang and clamored; 

AA^hirred the wheels, that into rigging 

Spun the shining flax! 

147 


148 


THE SAGA OP KING OLAF 


All this tumult heard the master,— 

It was music to his ear; 

Fancy whispered all the faster, 

‘Alen shall hear of Thorberg Shafting 
For a hundred year!’^ 

Workmen sweating at the forgoes 
Fashioned iron bolt and bar. 

Like a warlock’s midnight orgies 
Smoked and bubbled the black caldron 
With the boiling tar. 

Did the warlocks mingle in it, 

Thorberg Shafting, any curse? 
Could you not be gone a minute 
But some mischief must be doing. 
Turning bad to worse? 

’Twas an ill wind that came wafting 
From his homestead words of woe 
To his farm went Thorberg Shafting, 
Oft repeating to his workmen. 

Build ye thus and so. 

After long delays returning 

Came the master back by night; 
To his ship-yard longing, yearning. 
Hurried he, and did not leave it 
Till the morning’s light. 



H 

W 

H 


LONG SERPENT WAS SHE CHRISTENED’ 










































150 


THE SAGA OF KING OLAF 


‘‘Come and see my ship, my darling!’’ 

On the morrow said the King; 

“Finished now from keel to carling; 

Never yet was seen in Norway 
Such a wondrous thing!” 

In the ship-yard, idly talking. 

At the ship the workmen stared: 

Some one, all their labor balking, 

Down her sides had cut deep gashes, 

Not a plank was spared! 

“Death be to the evil-doer!” 

With an oath King Olaf spoke; 

“But rewards to his pursuer!” 

And with wrath his face grew redder 
Than his scarlet cloak. 

Straight the master-builder, smiling. 

Answered thus the angry King: 

“Cease blaspheming and reviling, 

Olaf, it was Thorberg Shafting 
Wlio has done this thing!” 

Then he chipped and smoothed the planking, 
Till the King, delighted, swore. 

With much lauding and much thanking, 
“Handsomer is now my Dragon 
Than she was before!” 


THE SAGA OF KING OLAF 


151 


Seventy ells and four extended 

On tlie grass the vessel’s keel; 

High above it, gilt and splendid, 

Rose the figure-head ferocious 
With its crest of steel. 

Then they launched her from the tressels. 
In the ship-yard by the sea; 

She was the grandest of all vessels. 

Never ship was built in Norway 
Half so fine as she! 

The Long Serpent was she christened, 
’Mid the roar of cheer on cheer! 

They who to the Saga listened 
Heard the name of Thorberg Shafting 
For a, hundred year! 

KING OLAF AND EARL SIGYALD. 

On the gray sea-sands 
King Olaf stands. 

Northward and seaward 
He points with his hands. 

With eddy and whirl 
The sea-tides curl. 

Washing the sandals 
Of Sigvald the Earl. 


152 


THE SAGA OF KING OLAF 


/ 


The mariners shout, 

The ships swing about, 

The yards are all hoisted, 
The sails flutter out. 

The war-homs are played. 
The anchors are weighed. 
Like moths in the distance 
The sails flit and fade. 

The sea is like lead. 

The harbor lies dead. 

As a corse on the seashore, 
AATiose spirit has fled! 

On that fatal day. 

The histories say. 

Seventy vessels 
Sailed out of the bay. 

But soon scattered wnde 
O’er the billows they ride. 
While Sigvald and Olaf 
Sail side by side. 

Cried the Earl: ‘^Follow me! 
I your pilot will be. 

For I know all the channels 
Where flows the deep sea!’^ 


THE SAGA OF KING OLAF 


153 


So into the strait 
Where his foes lie in wait 
Gallant King Olaf 
Sails to his fate! 


KING OLAF^S WAE-HORNS. 

‘‘Strike the sailsKing Olaf said; 

“Never shall men of mine take flight, 

Never away from battle I fled, 

Never away from my foes! 

Let God dispose 
Of my life in the fight !’^ 

‘ ‘ Sound the horns! ’ ’ said Olaf the King; 
And suddenly through the drifting brume 
The blare of the horns began to ring, 

Like the terrible trumpet shock 
Of Regnarock, 

On the Day of Doom! 

Louder and louder the war-horns sang 
Over the level floor of the flood; 

All the sails came down with a clang. 

And there in the mist overhead 
The sun hung red 
As a drop of blood. 


154 


THE SAGA OF KING OLAF 


Drifting down on the Danish fleet 
Three together the ships were lashed, 

So that neither shonld turn and retreat; 
In the midst, hut in front of the rest. 

The burnished crest 
Of the Serpent flashed. 

King Olaf stood on the quarter-deck. 

With bow of ash and arrows of oak; 

His gilded shield was without a fleck. 
His helmet inlaid with gold. 

And in manv a fold 
Hung his crimson cloak. 

On the forecastle Ulf the Eed 
Watched the lashing of the ships; 

‘Hf the Serpent lie so far ahead. 

We shall have hard work of it here,^’ 
Said he with a sneer 
On his bearded lips. 

King Olaf laid an arrow on string, 
“Have I a coward on board?” said he. 
“Shoot it another way, 0 King!” 
Sullenly answered Ulf, 

The old sea-wolf; 

“You have need of me!” 


THE SAGA OF KING OLAF 


155 


In front came Svend, the King of the Danes, 
Sweeping down with his fifty rowers; 

To the right, the Swedish king with his thanes; 
And on board of the Iron Beard 
Earl Eric steered 
To the left with his oars. 

These soft Danes and Swedes,’’ said the King, 
^‘At home with their wives had better stay, 
Than come within reach of my Serpent’s sting: 
But where Eric the Norseman leads 
Heroic deeds 
*\Vill be done to-day!” 

Then as together the vessels crashed 
Eric severed the cables of hide. 

With wdiich King Olaf’s ships w^ere lashed, 
And left them to drive and drift 
With the currents swift 
Of the outw^ard tide. 

Louder the wmr-horns growd and snarl. 
Sharper the dragons bite and sting! 

Eric the son of Hakon Jarl 
A death-drink salt as the sea 
Pledges to thee, 

Olaf the King! 


156 


THE SAGA OF KING OLAF 


KING OLAF’S DEATH-DRINK 
All day has the battle raged, 

All day have the ships engaged, 

But not yet is assuaged 

The vengeance of Eric the Earl. 

The decks Avith blood are red. 

The arrows of death are sped. 

The ships are filled Avith the dead. 

And the spears the champions hurl. 

They drift as AAwecks on the tide. 

The grappling-irons are plied. 

The boarders climb up the side. 

The shouts are feeble and feAv. 

Ah! never shall NorAvay again 

See her sailors come back o’er the main; 

They all lie wounded or slain. 

Or asleep in the billoAvs blue! 

On the deck stands Olaf the King, 

Around him AAdiistle and sing 
The spears that the foemen fling. 

And the stones they hurl Avith their hands. 

In the midst of the stones and the spears, 
Kolhiorn, the marshal, appears. 

His shield in the air he uprears. 

By the side of King Olaf he stands. 


^ THE SAGA OF KING OLAF 


157 


Over the slippery wreck 
Of the Long Serpent’s deck 
Sweeps Eric with hardly a check, 

His lips with anger are pale; 

He hews with his axe at the mast, ^ 

Till it falls, with the sails overcast. 
Like a snow-covered pine in the vast 
Dim forests of Orkadale. 

Seeking King Olaf then, 

He rushes aft with his men. 

As a hunter into the den 

Of the bear, when he stands at bay, 

^‘Remember Jarl Hakon!” he cries; 
When lo! on his wondering eyes 
Two kingly figures arise. 

Two Olafs in warlike array! 

I 

Then Kolbiorn speaks in the ear 
Of King Olaf a word of cheer. 

In a whisper that none may hear. 

With a smile on his tremulous lip; 

Two shields raised high in the air. 

Two flashes of golden hair. 

Two scarlet meteors’ glare. 

And both have leaped from the ship. 


158 


THE SAGA OF KING OLAP 


Earl Eric’s men in the boats 
Seize Kolbiorn’s shield as it floats, 
And cry, from their hairy throats, 
‘‘See! it is Olaf the King!” 

While far on the opposite side 
Floats another shield on the tide. 
Like a jewel set in the wide 
Sea-cnrrent’s eddying ring. 

There is told a wonderful tale. 

How the King stripped off his mail. 
Like leaves of the brown sea-kale. 
As he swam beneath the main; 

But the young grew old and gray, 
And never, by night or by day. 

In his kingdom of Norroway 
Was King Olaf seen again! 










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